United News of Bangladesh

Thirteen people were injured in a clash between the supporters of a BNP and an independent candidate during electioneering at Kachua Bazar in Lalpur upazila of Natore district on Friday night. Police said the supporters of Taiful Islam Tipu, an independent candidate of Natore-1 constituency, brought out a procession. At one stage, an altercation ensued between the supporters of Tipu and BNP candidate Farzana Sharmin while the procession was passing the election camp of BNP around 8 pm, triggering a clash that left 13 people injured. The supporters of Tipu allegedly vandalised the election camp of BNP candidate Farzana. On information, police rushed to the spot and arrested a supporter of Tipu identified as Khalilur Rahman, said Iftekhayer Alam, additional superintendent of Natore Police.  

A 75-year-old man was beaten to death allegedly by his neighbor over a trifling matter at Matipotti slum in Khulna city on Friday night. The deceased was identified as Babul Molla, 75, a resident of the slum. Jamal Uddin, in-charge of Boro Bazar police camp, said Babul had an altercation with his neighbor Nasu over spraying water at the slum on Friday afternoon. As a sequel to the enmity, Nasu along with three others beat Babul up mercilessly around 10 pm, leaving him injured. Later, he was taken to a local hospital where the doctors declared him dead.    

Activists of Inqilab Moncha demanding justice for the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi left Shahbagh intersection on Friday following a series of clashes with police. By 10:30pm the protesters had dispersed from Shahbagh after earlier taking position there and confronting police, who used tear gas shells and sound grenades to break up the crowd. The back-and-forth chase between protesters and police continued until around 9pm. Earlier, in a Facebook post, Inqilab Moncha Member Secretary Abdullah Al Jaber said, “Awami league is trying to divert the situation by blending with common people. We request everyone to move to safe places.” In a video message, Jaber also urged people to vote “Yes” in the upcoming election and called on the government to send a letter to the United Nations by February 8 to ensure a thorough investigation into Hadi’s killing, covering not only the direct attackers but also those who planned, assisted, or provided shelter for the perpetrators. Earlier on Thursday afternoon, a procession led by Inqilab Moncha moved from the Raju Memorial Sculpture of Dhaka University towards Shahbagh, blocking the road to protest Hadi’s killing. Police, Inqilab Moncha supporters engage in renewed chase at Shahbagh Around 7:30pm, protesters chased a group of police from Shahbagh towards Hotel InterContinental, prompting a counter-chase in which police used tear gas, sound grenades, and water cannons. Witnesses reported hearing the sounds of about 20 grenades. Earlier in the afternoon, a procession led by Inqilab Moncha, demanding justice for the killing of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi, marched towards the Jamuna area demanding justice for Hadi’s killing. The organisation alleged that police obstructed the march and carried out an attack using tear gas, sound grenades and water cannons. During the clashes, several Inqilab Moncha leaders and activists, including Abdullah Al Jaber, were injured. The injured were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment. The organisation also claimed that DUCSU leader Jhuma and JUCSU leader Shanta Akter were among those injured. However, according to doctors on duty at the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, a total of 76 people, including Abdullah Al Jaber, received medical treatment following the incident. The doctors confirmed that none of the injured sustained gunshot wounds.

The Ministry of Public Administration has issued appointment orders for 1,490 candidates of the 44th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination, seven months after the Public Service Commission’s (PSC) recommendation. The appointment orders were issued on Thursday by the ministry’s New Appointment Wing and made public on Friday. Among the appointees, 244 have been placed in the administration cadre, 48 in the police cadre, 9 in the foreign affairs cadre, and 29 in the audit and accounts cadre, along with other cadres. Appointees have been instructed to join their respective cadre offices under the controlling ministries by February 9. If no further instructions are received, candidates must report to their assigned ministries on that date. Failure to join will be considered a refusal to accept the appointment, and the order will be canceled. The ministry also reserves the right to amend or cancel appointments if any adverse or contradictory information emerges about a candidate after joining.

Police on Friday fired tear gas shells and sound grenades to disperse activists of Inqilab Moncha during their blockade programme at Shahbagh intersection, following allegations of police action against protesters demanding justice for the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi. At Around 5:15pm, leaders, activists and supporters of Inqilab Moncha brought out a procession from the Raju Memorial Sculpture of Dhaka University and took position at Shahbagh Mor. After reaching the intersection, they blocked the road and began protesting. At about 7:30pm, protesters chased a group of police personnel from Shahbagh towards Hotel InterContinental. Police later launched a counter-chase and used tear gas shells and sound grenades to disperse the protesters. Witnesses said sounds of around 20 sound grenades were heard during the incident. Interim Govt backs up police account of action on Inqilab Moncho march Earlier in the afternoon, a procession led by Inqilab Moncha, demanding justice for the killing of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi, marched towards the Jamuna area demanding justice for Hadi’s killing. The organisation alleged that police obstructed the march and carried out an attack using tear gas, sound grenades and water cannons.

Leaders and activists of Inqilab Moncho on Friday evening blocked Shahbagh to protest police action against their movement earlier in the afternoon. They gathered at Shahbagh’s Hadi Chattar around 6pm and chanted various slogans. As a result, traffic movement in the area came to a halt, creating tailbacks on the roads. Only the road in front of the National Museum remained open to traffic. Around 6pm, 11-party alliance candidate for Dhaka-8 Nasiruddin Patwary and Mohiuddin Rony, an independent candidate for Dhaka-18, joined the protest. Nearly forty leaders and activists of Inqilab Moncho were injured in the clash with police near Hotel InterContinental in Dhaka on Friday as they were marching towards Jamuna, the Chief Adviser’s residence. Abdullah Al Jaber, Member Secretary of Inqilab Moncho, and Rajshahi University Central Students' Union (RUCSU) General Secretary Salahuddin Ammar were among the injured, said Inspector Md Faruk, in-charge of the DMCH hospital police outpost. Nearly 40 injured as security forces crackdown on Inqilab Moncho march towards Jamuna The other injured included Jhuma, Monir, Faisal, Joy, Julkar, Mosharraf, Niloy, Anik, Omar, Rahat, Rasel, Ahad, Mahin, Azad, Shamim, Sohel, Shawon, Shamim, Sabbir, Zisan, Mojid, Yusuf, Rifat and Emon. In addition, the identities of seven more people remain unknown as more injured individuals are still arriving at the hospital.

Nearly forty leaders and activists of Inqilab Moncho were injured in a clash with police near Hotel InterContinental in Dhaka on Friday as they were marching towards Jamuna, the Chief Adviser’s residence. Abdullah Al Jaber, Member Secretary of Inqilab Moncho, and Rajshahi University Central Students' Union (RUCSU) General Secretary Salahuddin Ammar were among the injured, said Inspector Md Faruk, in-charge of the DMCH hospital police outpost. The other injured included Jhuma, Monir, Faisal, Joy, Julkar, Mosharraf, Niloy, Anik, Omar, Rahat, Rasel, Ahad, Mahin, Azad, Shamim, Sohel, Shawon, Shamim, Sabbir, Zisan, Mojid, Yusuf, Rifat and Emon. In addition, the identities of seven more people remain unknown as more injured individuals are still arriving at the hospital. They are receiving treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Inspector Faruk added. In a video post shared on the Inqilab Moncho platform, police were seen dragging female activists of Inqilab Moncho. Earlier on Thursday, Inqilab Moncho staged a sit-in outside the Chief Adviser’s official residence, Jamuna, demanding an impartial investigation under United Nations supervision into the killing of its spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi. The protest began around 5pm with Inqilab Moncho Member Secretary Abdullah Al Jaber, Fatima Tasnim Zuma, Hadi’s wife and a small number of activists participating in the programme. Addressing the gathering, Abdullah Al Jaber said they had deliberately limited the number of protesters considering possible security concerns. “We could have brought many more people if we wanted. We are waiting here with the wife of martyr Osman Hadi until we receive a clear assurance from the Chief Adviser. Without a full guarantee of justice, we will not withdraw from this sit-in,” he said. Zuma said Inqilab Moncho, along with Hadi’s wife, had taken position in front of Jamuna to press for the UN-monitored probe. Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, spokesperson of the platform and  a prospective candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency, was shot in the head on December 12 while travelling in a rickshaw on Culvert Road in Puratan Paltan. He was later airlifted to Singapore for advanced medical treatment where he succumbed to his injuries on the night of December 18. Since the incident, Inqilab Moncho has been holding protests and demanding justice.  

At least six government employees were injured on Friday when police attacked a march demanding the gazette of the ninth pay scale. The incident occurred around 12:00 pm near Shahbagh Mor in the capital. The injured were later taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital emergency department around 12:45 pm. The injured include Abdul Hannan, 45, Joy Das, 35, Abdul Awal, 40, Tonmoy, 32, Zakaria, 60, and Md Sikandar, 40. Colleagues of the injured, Md Kalam Howlader and Md Masud, said the march was organised by the “Government Employees Unity Council” towards the Chief Adviser’s residence, Jamuna. Tension near Jamuna as protesters demand 9th pay scale Police blocked the procession before it could pass Shahbagh and used baton charges, sound grenades and water cannons to disperse the march. Inspector Md Faruk, in charge of the police camp at DMCH, confirmed that six government employees were brought in injured from Shahbagh and were later treated and discharged by doctors.

Japan has decided to deploy an Election Observer Mission to Bangladesh from February 9 to February 14 to support the fair implementation of the general election of Bangladesh scheduled for February 12.  The mission will be headed by Watanabe Masato, former Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh. It will consist of officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the Embassy of Japan in Bangladesh and an external expert. Bangladesh establishes formal diplomatic ties with Grenada In addition to observing the casting and counting of votes, the Mission will exchange views and information with the Bangladesh Election Commission as well as election observer missions from foreign countries and others. The Election Observer Mission will be sent as part of Japan's cooperation for the consolidation of democracy in Bangladesh in response to the Bangladesh Election Commission’s announcement to welcome international election observers, said the government of Japan. 

Bangladesh has taken a major step towards safer roads with the signing of a crucial agreement to train 60,000 vehicle drivers nationwide, aiming  to reduce road fatalities and build a skilled transport workforce. An official deal was signed at the Road Transport and Highways Division between the Bangladesh Road Safety Project and the Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) on Thursday.  The agreement aims to deliver large-scale, structured driver training as part of a broader national road safety strategy. The agreement was signed on behalf of the Bangladesh Road Safety Project by its Project Director Mohammad Sabbir Hasan Khan. Abdul Latif Mollah, Chairman (Additional Secretary) of BRTC, signed it on behalf of the corporation. The agreement forms part of the Bangladesh Road Safety Project, jointly financed by the government and the World Bank. DMP urges all vehicles to refrain from driving on the wrong side The project was approved at an ECNEC meeting on April 18, 2023 and has been designed to address one of the country’s most pressing public safety challenges: the high number of deaths and serious injuries caused by road accidents. The project’s core objectives are twofold—to reduce road traffic fatalities and serious injuries, and to strengthen the road safety management capacity of relevant agencies.  To achieve this, Bangladesh is piloting the internationally recognised Safe System Approach, which treats road safety as a shared responsibility across road design, vehicles, speed management, post-crash response and, crucially, driver behaviour. One of the five key pillars of the Safe System Approach is the presence of skilled and responsible drivers. This pillar lies at the heart of the newly signed training programme. Training 60,000 drivers nationwide. Under the programme, 40,000 new drivers will receive four-month-long professional training to develop them into skilled drivers, while an additional 20,000 existing professional drivers will undergo advanced training.  The latter will focus on road safety principles, pedestrian rights and higher-level driving competencies. In total, 60,000 drivers will be trained under this initiative—an unprecedented scale for a government-led road safety intervention in Bangladesh. The relevant training package was approved by the Advisory Committee on Government Procurement at its meeting held on 13 January 2026.  Under the approved arrangement, the training will be delivered by BRTC, a government entity with long-standing experience in driver education.  Sessions will be conducted across 27 BRTC training institutes and centres located throughout the country, ensuring nationwide reach. Beyond safety: skills and employment While the programme is primarily aimed at saving lives and reducing injuries on the roads, its impact is expected to extend further.  By producing a large pool of trained, professional drivers, the initiative will contribute to human resource development and help address unemployment, particularly among young people seeking formal skills and stable livelihoods. Officials believe that better-trained drivers will not only improve compliance with traffic rules but also foster a culture of respect for pedestrians and other road users—an essential shift for sustainable transport safety. As Bangladesh continues its journey towards rapid economic growth and urbanisation, initiatives such as this driver training programme underline a clear policy direction: development must go hand in hand with safety. Japanese automaker Nissan developing self-driving vehicles By investing in skilled drivers and modern road safety systems, the country is laying the groundwork for safer, more sustainable mobility for all, officials said.  Road traffic accidents continue to pose a serious public health challenge in Bangladesh.  According to research findings, data from 2015 to 2023 show 50,432 crashes, resulting in 69,514 deaths and 123,125 injuries, underscoring the urgent need for stronger road safety measures.