United News of Bangladesh

Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) seized arms, ammunition, drugs and other contraband items worth Tk 134.36 crore during anti-smuggling drives across the country, especially in bordering areas in the month of April. During this period, the paramilitary force seized 12.40 kgs of gold, 704 grams of silver, 1,90,224 cosmetics, 515 pieces of Imitation jewelry, 7,041 sarees, 10,376 three-piece/shirt-piece/bed-sheet/blankets, 1,005 cft timber, 1,048 kgs of tea leaves, 12,900 kgs of coal, 38.400 kgs of turtle bones, one touchstone statue, two trucks, one covered van, three private and microbus, three human haulers, 15 boats, 25 human haulers, 63 motorbikes and 11 bi-cycles. Seized arms include five pistols, one rifle, four guns of several types, four magazines and 49 rounds of bullets. Other smuggled items include  9,05,968 Yaba pills, 12.311 Kg crystal meth, 11,083 bottles of phensedyl, 20,900 bottles of foreign liquor, 1088 cans of beer, 1,116 kg cannabis, 32.793 kg heroin, 51,150 injections, 2,442 Eskuf syrups, 6.880 kg of drugs, 1520 bottles of MkDil/Cofidil,4,56,791 different types of medicines, 899 Anegra and Senegra tablets, 12 bottles of LSD and 56,660 other tablets, said a BGB media release signed by its Public Relations Officer Md Shariful Islam on Tuesday. Meanwhile, legal action has been taken against 155 smugglers, 111Bangladeshi nationals, five Indians and 297 Myanmar nationals for illegally crossing the border during the period, said Public Relations Officer of the BGB headquarters Md Shariful Islam.

The first phase of the country’s sixth Upazila Parishad Election is set to be held amid the balloting in 139 upazilas of 59 districts in the country on Wednesday. The votes will be cast from 8:00am to 4:00pm without any recess. Some 1630 candidates, including nearly 570 chairman contenders are in the electoral race in the 139 upazila parishads against a total of 417 posts –-chairman post, vice chairman and women vice chairman posts in each upazila. More than 2.80 crore people would have voting rights in the upazilas, according to the data of the Election Commission. A security team of 17-19 members would guard each polling station in the plain districts, while a security team of 19-21 members would protect a polling station in the Chittagong hill tracts and very remote areas. The balloting will be held in some 10,400 polling stations. On March 21, the Election Commission announced the election schedule for 152 upazila parishads in the first phase. But all the candidates in five upazilas – Hatia in Noakhali, Munshiganj Sadar, Bagerhat Sadar, Parshuram in Feni and Shibchar in Madaripur– have already been elected uncontested, finding no rival contestant for their respective posts. Besides, the elections to eight other upazilas were postponed on different grounds. The eight upazilas are Narayanganj Sadar, Kumarkhali in Kushtia, Thanchi and Rowangchhari in Bandarban, Gopalpur in Tangail, Mohadevpur in Naogaon, Nangalkot in Cumilla and Sarishabari in Jamalpur. This time, the Election Commission is arranging the sixth Upazila Parishad election in four phases.  The commission has already declared the election schedule to hold polls in some 480 upazilas out of the country’s 495 Upazilas.  The second phase election will be held in some 160 upazilas on May 21, while the third phase in 110 Upazilas on May 29 and 4th phase polls more than 50 upazilas on June 05.

Khulna Circle Forest Conservator Mihir Kumar Doe on Tuesday evening said the Sundarbans fire has been completely doused, almost four days since it started. He said that rain started falling on the affected location from 5:30pm on Monday. Besides, the members of the Forest Department and Fire Service arrived at the spot and started monitoring the fire site again through drones. Hourly drone monitoring has been done since morning, but no sign of fire was found anywhere in the forest.   Besides, several teams visited the spot on foot inside the forest but found no sign of fire anywhere. Inspection revealed that the fire site was substantially soaked with water as a result of rainfall.  Water has accumulated somewhere.  In the review of the overall situation, it has been confirmed that the fire in the forest area under the Amarbunia camp of Sundarbans has been extinguished. On the other hand, the Chairman of the committee formed to assess the loss of biodiversity in the wake of the Sundarban fire said that the work of assessing the loss of forest resources and biodiversity in the wake of the fire and preparing recommendations about the next steps will be started soon.  

No fresh death due to dengue was reported in Bangladesh in the past 24 hours till Tuesday morning, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). However, 15 patients were hospitalised with viral fever during this period, according to the DGHS. Of them, six were admitted in Dhaka hospitals, while the rest were outside the capital. A total of 125 patients are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country. So far, 2,338 dengue cases have been reported since January 1, 2024. Last year, a total of 1,705 people lost their lives due to dengue, making it the deadliest year on record. The DGHS recorded 321,179 dengue cases and 3, 18,749 recoveries last year. Last year’s September was the deadliest month for the dengue outbreak, with 396 fatalities and 79,598 cases, according to DGHS data.

The nation will observe the 163rd birth anniversary of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, one of the world's most revered poets and litterateurs.  His timeless creations are still being celebrated across the world, and he is revered by both Bangladesh and India for his majestic literary works. Both countries' national anthems are based on two of his songs. Tagore, who won the Nobel Prize for Gitanjali in 1913, was the youngest of 13 surviving children of Debendranath Tagore and Sarada Devi. Born on May 8, 1861, at Jorasanko mansion in Kolkata, Tagore was a poet, visual artist, playwright, novelist, as well as a composer whose works reshaped Bangla literature and music in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Marking the occasion, different government and private cultural organisations are scheduled to host cultural programmes, discussions and awards ceremonies across the country on Tuesday. The Ministry of Education ordered the country's educational institutions on Monday, May 6, to observe the 163rd birth anniversary of poet Rabindranath Tagore and the upcoming 125th birth anniversary of the national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam later this month. Like the previous years, Tagore's birth anniversary will be commemorated as part of the national event at the Shilaidah of Kushtia, Shahjadpur of Sirajganj, and in many other areas in the country. Last-minute preparations are being made for the celebrations, as of today. Chhayanaut, the country's leading cultural institution, will commemorate the occasion with a two-day cultural festivity. The event, titled ‘Chhayanaut Rabindra Uthsab’, will showcase diversified cultural presentations including song, poetry and dance recitals. Besides, different cultural organisations including Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Bangla Academy and others will celebrate the birth anniversary with various events.    

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun on Tuesday urged the new police officers to provide services to people neutrally after upholding human rights. “Policing is a challenging profession and the policing of the future will be based on knowledge and science. This profession is constantly facing new challenges,” he said while addressing the orientation programme assistant superintendent of police of 41st BCS Police at police headquarters.  "During the year-long training at Bangladesh Police Academy, Sarda, Rajshahi, police will acquire knowledge and skills about modern techniques to combat crime, use of intelligence information and information technology to curb crime," he said. The IGP also urged the newcomers to concentrate on training deeply and with dedication to build a suitable police officer for a developed, prosperous and smart Bangladesh. Mentioning that there has been a huge change in the nature and nature of crime, the IGP said “By using the knowledge and skills gained from the training, you will try to prove your ability to unearth crimes and bring the criminals to justice.” A total of 100 ASPs from 41st batch joined the police. Of them, 96 are male and 4 female.

Distinguished Fellow of Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and convener of Citizen Platform, Bangladesh for SDG implementation Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya on Tuesday  said that data anarchy in the country has now turned into data breach. He said the recent ban on entry of journalists to Bangladesh Bank (BB) is proof of that situation, as the powerful corrupt groups/syndicates are fearing to face the truth. Bangladesh Bank sets qualifications of independent directors for NBFIs Dr Debapriya said this while speaking on ‘Macroeconomic Challenges and Way Forward’ in Moazzem Hossain Commemorative Lecture at the auditorium of the Economic Reporters’ Forum (ERF) on Tuesday.  FRF organised the lecture in honour of its founding president and late editor of the Financial Express Moazzem Hossain. He also said that the central bank is the place of people's expectations and the big pillar of getting the right information. Ban traveling abroad and state honours for wilful defaulters: Bangladesh Bank He said, “We depended on central bank data on financial indicators including export-import even before BBS data. Now why has the information fallen in a barrier banning journalists in the BB, Is it the result of a compromise with a group of influential, it will damage the reputation of the central bank.” Dr. Debapriya said, some are getting the information, and some are not getting it. Today businessmen are getting information while journalists are not. If information is given to the trader, the market is affected, and the price increases. Bangladesh Bank is a state institution. Journalists are not allowed to enter there. “Why expressing the correct information will be face trouble, why it is being seen as a major sabotage? How economic journalists become saboteurs?,” he asked the central bank. Bangladesh Bank closing around 200 MFS accounts a day in Hundi crackdown: Governor Abdur Rouf  Remembering journalist Moazzem Hossain, Dr Debopriya said, the late editor was a completely professional and pure journalist. “Moazzem always performed his duties with integrity, ethics, and complete impartiality. He was the pioneer of economics journalism in Bangladesh,” said Dr Debopriya. Shamsul Haque Zahid, editor of the English daily Financial Express, ERF President Refayet Ullah Mirdha, and General Secretary Abul Kashem also spoke at the event.

Gabtoli Bus Terminal will be transformed into a multi-modal station with all kinds of civic facilities. LGRD Minister Tazul Islam said this while replying to a notice raised by ruling Awami League MP Mainul Hossain Khan from Dhaka-14. The minister submitted his written reply in parliament on Monday. “Modernisation of Gabtoli bus terminal is very important. At present there is no systematic parking system and passengers coming from far away are suffering due to long traffic. If Gabtoli terminal is modernised, all these issues of mismanagement will be solved,” the minister said in his written statement. The minister in his reply said Gabtoli Underground Metrorail station will be constructed on the northern route of Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project (Line-5), under Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), where the Gabtoli bus terminal is located. For this, Gabtoli Bus Terminal will be temporarily shifted from its current location. 12.80 acres of land on the south side of the terminal has been initially selected. He said the new temporary terminal is 6400 square meters. Along with, the depot will be constructed to accommodate 260 vehicles. In future, Gabtoli Bus Terminal will be upgraded to city bus terminal and modern inter-district bus terminal will be constructed at Hemayetpur.

Bangladesh reported 12 more COVID-19 cases in 24 hours till Tuesday morning. With the new numbers, the country's total COVID-19 caseload rose to 2,050,089, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). The official death toll from the disease remained unchanged at 29,494 as no new fatalities were reported during this period. The daily case test positivity rate was 4.29 percent as 280 samples were tested, said the DGHS. The recovery and death rates stood at 98.41 percent and 1.44 per cent, respectively.

Saudi Arabia has clarified its new policy, introducing travel restrictions for Hajj pilgrims — confining their movements exclusively to Jeddah, Medina, and Mecca. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced that individuals visiting Saudi Arabia on a Hajj visa are prohibited from traveling outside these three cities. The visa is designed solely for pilgrimage purposes and does not permit holders to engage in work, seek residency, or travel beyond Jeddah, Medina, and Mecca. Hajj packages for 2024 to be cheaper Violations of these restrictions could result in severe penalties, including deportation and a potential ban on future Hajj participation, according to a Gulf News report. Furthermore, the Ministry clarified that all international visitors, except those from GCC countries who do not require a Hajj permit, must secure a Hajj visa through the official channels. To streamline the application process, the Ministry's website now facilitates electronic registration for the Hajj visa via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' visa platform. Applicants are required to log in, select the required service, and follow detailed instructions for document submission. Bangladeshis can perform Umrah with transit visa: Saudi Hajj Minister The deadline for Hajj visa applications is set for the 7th of Dhu Al Hijjah, or until the designated quota of pilgrims is met. Processing typically takes up to three working days, and applicants are urged to apply early to adhere to all regulatory requirements.