United News of Bangladesh

The government is not embarrassed about former Army chief Aziz Ahmed and former IGP Benzir Ahmed issue as the government has the courage to bring them to justice, said Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader. The government didn’t give them a chance to go scot-free. The government is uncompromising on corruption, he said. Govt takes zero tolerance policy against offenders: Obaidul Quader He made the remarks at a press conference at the Awami League president's office in Dhanmondi in the capital on Tuesday noon. “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is known as an honest Prime Minister worldwide, and her popularity in Bangladesh stems from her integrity and hard work. The government is always ready to take action against corruption,” he said. Fakhrul blaming India over MP’s death not justified: Quader Mentioning that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is investigating the issue, Quader said, “ACC is independent. Sheikh Hasina has given ACC the freedom. ACC has informed that investigations into the illegal assets of Benzir Ahmed are still ongoing and further investigations will be conducted.” “As an investigation is ongoing, they will have to face trial. No criminal will be spared under Sheikh Hasina's rule. Former army chief Aziz Ahmed - if he is a criminal, ACC can investigate him. If he is a criminal, he must face punishment. Whoever he may be,” Quader said. Quader expresses discontent over NBR’s move to impose 15% VAT on Metro rail Mentioning the Buet student murder case and Biswajit case, Quader further said, “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is the only politician in the country in the last 75 years who does not forgive even her own party members if they are criminals. She has proven this.

After a request of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC), the regulator of stock markets, has instructed to freeze beneficiary owners (BO) accounts of former Inspector General of Bangladesh Police Benazir Ahmed and his family members. Court orders confiscation of more assets of ex-IGP Benazir, his family members The officials of BSEC said that the regulator has already asked the Central Depository Bangladesh Ltd (CDBL) for preventing them from trading shares in the stock market and liquidating investments. The CDBL usually facilitates the transfer and settlement of shares and other securities against BO accounts. The ACC recently requested the BSEC to freeze the BO accounts after a Dhaka court, last week, ordered the confiscation of the former IGP's assets in connection with corruption allegations. Court orders confiscation of ex-IGP Benazir’s properties Benazir is accused of amassing illegal assets worth hundreds of crores of taka at home and abroad through power abuse, irregularities, and corruption. The properties were registered in his name and his wife and three children. The ACC requested the operation of BO accounts in the name of the former IGP, his wife, and children, sources said.

A total of 3.70 lakh positions out of 19.151 lakh government jobs remain vacant, Public Administration Minister Farhad Hossain said today. The minister revealed this information during a dialogue organized by the Bangladesh Secretariat Reporters Forum (BSRF). Addressing a question about women lagging behind in the Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS), the minister noted that out of 58 secretaries under Public Administration, 11 are women. Besides, there are 75 female additional secretaries, 164 female joint secretaries, 394 female deputy secretaries. Additionally, there are 658 senior assistant secretaries, seven female deputy commissioners, 151 female UNOs, and 88 female AC land officers. State Minister for Public Administration showcaused for violating electoral code of conduct “We are making progress in women empowerment, with women constituting 29 percent of government job holders,” he stated. “In the 35th BCS, 27.95% are female governments officials, in 36th BCS, the number of female officials are 26.22%, in 37th BCS, 24.37% are female officials, 26.91% female officials found in 38th BCS, the rate of female officials in 40th is 26.03% and in 41st BCS the number stands at 26.71%,” he said. In the 29th BCS, 46.81% females were appointed as government officials while the rate surpassed to 49.02% in the 42nd BCS, said the minister. The minister said, even after the cancellation of 10 percent women quota, women are getting recruitment as before. There was no disruption here. From the 40th BCS, there is no quota for women, he said, adding that the rate of women in BCS has not decreased. A total of 26-27 percent women were recommended for each BCS, he said. PM Hasina distributes 'Bangabandhu Public Administration Award to 28 officials, 2 departments   Responding to a question about allegations against 351 government officials from grade-1 to grade-9 over the past ten years, Farhad Hossain said that 41 received severe punishment and 140 received light punishment. In total, 181 officials were punished, while 170 were discharged. Regarding concerns about not maintaining policy in promotions, the minister assured, “Promotions and postings are conducted following proper policies. We have a well-ordered system. It’s important to consider various factors such as officers studying abroad under government scholarships, assignments in embassies abroad, and health issues of some officers. We take all these factors into account. BSRF president Fasih Uddin Mahtab and its general secretary Masudul Haque administered the programme. Over 3.55 lakh posts vacant in public administration: State Minister

To instil traffic rule awareness among children from an early age, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) today announced plans to construct “Traffic Parks” across the city. Joint Commissioner (Traffic South) of DMP, SM Mehedi Hasan, made this announcement during a press conference at DMP’s media center. He emphasized the importance of educating young minds about traffic regulations and safety. For the last 1-2 years, the traffic department of the DMP has been actively visiting schools to promote public awareness among children, Hasan stated. Improving the capital’s traffic system through various initiatives has been prioritized, he added. One of the key initiatives includes a collaboration with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Hasan highlighted that JICA is assisting the DMP in multiple activities such as public awareness campaigns, training for traffic officials, and comprehensive data collection and analysis. The improvement of the traffic system has been ongoing for two years. Currently, the focus is on creating widespread awareness about road safety and traffic laws among city residents, Hasan explained. Hasan further elaborated on the data-driven approach being employed with JICA's help. "We are analyzing data to identify the locations with the highest traffic congestion and accident rates. This allows us to target our efforts where they are needed most." Recently, 13 officers from the DMP's traffic department received training in Japan, gaining insights from a country that has successfully fostered good citizenship and traffic discipline among its youth since the 1960s. "We aim to replicate this success in Dhaka," Hasan added.  

The sale of advance train tickets for Eid holidaymakers will start online from June 2. The commuters have to purchase their tickets online and though mobile apps, said Director General of Bangladesh Railway Sardar Sahadat Ali while speaking at a press briefing held at the conference room of the Rail Bhaban over railways’ preparation on the occasion of Eid on Tuesday. The ticket for June 12 will be available on June 2, for June 13 on June 3, June 14 on June 4 and the tickets for June 15 and 16 will be available on June 5 and June 6 respectively. Read more: How to Buy Plane, Bus, and Train Tickets Online in Bangladesh Those sale of tickets will start at 8 am for western region and at 2 pm for the eastern region of the country, he said. Railway Minister Zillul Hakim, deputy secretary Toufique Imam and Additional Director General of Bangladesh Railway Md Arifuzzaman were present there.

Launches operating on inland waterways from Dhaka resumed at 12:00 pm today following the withdrawal of the warning signal issued by the BMD after the influence of Cyclone Remal weakened. Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Public Relations Officer Ehteshamul Parvez confirmed the matter in a press release today. Cyclone Remal: Launch services suspended on all routes Earlier on Sunday, the Shipping Ministry suspended launch services on all routes from 10:00 pm due to the deep depression over the east-central Bay and adjoining west-central Bay intensifying into Cyclone Remal.

Gas supply will remain suspended for 10 hours from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm on Wednesday (May 29) in different areas of Narayanganj for gas pipeline relocation and installation. According to Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company, the areas where gas supply will remain halted include Panchabati, Panchabati BSCIC, Bholai, Isdair, Kashipur, Goganpur , Char Syedpur, and Mukta. Gas supply to remain off for 10 hours Sunday in parts of Gazipur Regretting the temporary inconvenience to consumers, the Titas Gas authority said the adjoins areas may experience low pressure in gas supply.

A total of 300 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed across the country to maintain law and order during the 3rd phase of the 6th Upazila Parishad Election. BGB will work as a mobile and striking force to maintain peace and order in the electoral areas from May 27 to May 31. During the 2nd phase of Upazila election, 457 BGB troops were deployed and in the 1st phase, a total of 418 troops were deployed. 2nd phase of Upazila polls: 457 platoons of BGB deployed

In a pointed response to recent allegations, General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed, Chief of Bangladesh Army, firmly denied any instances of human rights violations committed by Bangladeshi peacekeepers. His comments came during a press briefing on Monday following the inauguration of the 12th annual general meeting and workshop of the Association of Asia-Pacific Peace Operation Training Centers (AAPTC) at the Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support Operation Training (BIPSOT) in Rajendrapur, Gazipur. DW documentary is "misleading portrayal" of Bangladesh Army personnel in UN Peacekeeping Missions: ISPR “Bangladesh Army has served in 43 missions worldwide, with over 6,000 peacekeepers currently deployed. Can anyone provide a single example of us violating human rights or failing in discipline during these missions?” The army chief asked, addressing the media. General Shafiuddin’s remarks were prompted by a recent documentary by German media outlet DW, which suggested that Bangladeshi troops in peacekeeping missions had been involved in human rights abuses. DW documentary on Peacekeepers: UN says it follows three-step screening process when deploying troops “Someone tries to make a case by reporting that an individual violated human rights while working for a particular organization. This is hearsay. If it indeed happened, were we informed?” The army chief questioned the validity of the allegations. He further emphasised that the Bangladesh army’s responsibilities extend beyond Africa to Asia and Europe, maintaining a spotless record. “Have you ever heard of any human rights violations by us in these regions?" he asked. Bangladesh highlights its contribution to UN Peacekeeping Criticising the report as “biased and motivated,” General Shafiuddin stated, “The documentary expresses frustration that, despite repeated claims of human rights violations, the UN headquarters took no action. The UN would only act if they found us at fault. We strongly protest such one-sided and intentional reporting.” During his address at the AAPTC event, the army chief emphasised the significance of hosting the meeting in Bangladesh for the first time. He noted it as a recognition of the country’s contributions to global peacekeeping efforts. Highlighting Bangladesh’s leadership in both diplomatic and military domains, he mentioned the peace-centric development model presented by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the UN General Assembly in 2023, stressing its relevance in the current global security context. The AAPTC serves as a crucial platform for policymakers, researchers, peacekeepers, trainers, and other stakeholders involved in peacekeeping operations. The organisation includes 24 member states and two observer countries. At the previous annual conference in 2023, Major General M. Nazim Parvez, Commandant of BIPSOT, was appointed President of AAPTC for one year. The event saw the participation of senior UN officials, ambassadors, UN resident representatives, defense and military attachés, senior military and civilian officials, and approximately 50 foreign representatives from AAPTC member countries. The main objectives of this year’s AAPTC meeting were to assess the evolving security landscape and outline future training frameworks to address emerging challenges. To date, 168 Bangladeshi army officers have been martyred in UN peacekeeping missions across 19 countries.

The dominance of businesspeople is prevalent in the third phase of the sixth Upazila Elections, with 67 percent of chairman candidates belonging to the business community. Among the chairman candidates, 106 are millionaires. Apart from the chairman aspirants, 11 vice-chairman candidates , five candidates for vice-chairman posts reserved for women are millionaires. Leakage of citizens’ personal data alarming: TIB Anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Monday revealed the information at a press conference held at TIB office at Dhanmondi after analysing the affidavits submitted to the Election Commission ahead of third phase upazila polls. In the third phase, elections to 90 upazila parishads are going to be held on May 29. Though, the EC has scheduled to organise elections in 112 upazilas. Of them, Pirojpur Bhandaria Upazila’s all candidates are elected unopposed. Election of two upazilas has been postponed for another reason while 18 for cyclone ‘Remal’. Businesspeople dominate 2nd phase Upazila Parishad Elections too: TIB According to TIB, 66.53 per cent chairman candidates in the third phase upazila parishad election mentioned themselves as businesspeople while second highest 12.6 introduced themselves as farmers. Besides, lawyers (7.69 per cent) and teachers (4.37 per cent) are in third and fourth positions respectively. CEC estimates over 30 percent voter turnout in second phase of Upazila Polls Moreover, 68.99 per cent vice-chairman aspirants introduced themselves as businessmen and 48.54 per cent candidates for vice-chairman posts reserved for women have addressed themselves as housewives while 32 per cent as businesspeople, the TIB said. In the second phase of upazila parishad election held on May 21 where 71 per cent chairman candidates were businessmen and their total number was 105 while in first phase upazila election held on May 8, where 70 per cent were business community. In the press conference, TIB Executive Director Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said it’s a big question that the businessmen are involved in politics through proper channels or not and are they using politics as a tool of getting benefits. Information shows that when they remain in power as representatives of the people, their income and wealth are being increased abnormally. As a result, the priority of mass people's interest gets less importance, he added. TIB said like the Jatiya Sangsad election, candidates from the business community are dominating local body elections and this domination is on the rise.