United News of Bangladesh

Metro rail operations were suspended Sunday night after a youth climbed onto the roof of a train at the Secretariat station. The incident occurred around 8:05pm, according to DMTCL. He added that train services would not resume for the rest of the day. Metro authorities expressed regret over the temporary inconvenience caused to passengers.

Prominent election reformer Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar warned on Sunday that the public may be forced back into streets if upcoming national elections are conducted without curbing deep-rooted corruption and malpractices. Dr. Majumdar, head of the Election Reform Commission and Secretary of SUJON, made the remarks as the chief discussant at a seminar titled ‘Prospects and Challenges of the Thirteenth National Parliament Election,’ marking the launch of the ‘Voice Network’. He lamented that elections have historically been plagued by corruption involving political parties, leaders, bureaucrats, and businessmen, turning politics into a lucrative business. "If the election is held as before, without stopping corruption, the people may have to take to the field again," he stated. He stressed that an impartial and powerful Election Commission (EC) is essential for a credible vote. He also expressed hope that the structural reforms, including a referendum proposal, would pass and pave the way for democratic transition. Saiful Huq, Secretary of the Biplobi Workers Party, questioned the impartiality of the upcoming election, citing concerns over government advisors potentially running for office. He emphasized that the EC and the government must work to restore public confidence by ensuring law enforcement neutrality and preventing the use of black money and center-capturing (forcible takeover of polling stations). Sarwar Hossain Tushar of the NCP voiced concern over the EC's lack of clarity on how it will manage voting in centers deemed "67 percent risky," while Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, Advisor to the BNP Chairperson, called for electoral boundaries to be determined through dialogue with political parties. Sharif Osman Hady (Inkilab Manch) demanded the use of CCTV cameras in all centers to prevent irregularities. Dr. Dil Rowshan Zinnat Ara (Pro-VC, Open University) suggested that any individual associated with the previous "fascist party and government" should be barred from the election, citing their alleged role in destroying democratic institutions. Professor Waresul Karim of North South University criticized the role of the 'so-called mainstream media,' calling it a major enemy of democracy for its perceived bias. Professor Jinnat Ara of Open University stressed that the media has a significant role to play in ensuring a fair election. Advocate Ehsanul Mahbub Zubayer (Assistant Secretary General, Jamaat-e-Islami) urged the EC and the administration to demonstrate impartiality and competence in all appointments to meet the high public expectations for this election. The seminar, which highlighted the need for level playing fields and reduced distance between the people and the administration. A keynote paper was presented by Dr. Md. Shahabul Hoque, professor of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology. The programme was presided over by Voice Network Chairperson Dr. Jasim Uddin and moderated by Member Secretary Ekramul Hoque Sayem.

The High Court on Sunday issued a rule asking why the disparity in salaries and benefits between women footballers and their male counterparts in Bangladesh should not be declared illegal. A High Court bench of Justice Sikder Mahmudur Razi and Justice Riazuddin Ahmed, issued the rule following the initial hearing of the writ. The Sports Secretary, the National Football Federation authorities, and other concerned parties have been asked to respond within four weeks. Barristers Sumaiya Binte Tanvir and Ariza Meheli Khan represented the petitioners in court, having filed the writ challenging the unequal treatment. Barrister Sumaiya Binte Tanvir said that discrimination exists everywhere in football between men and women. Male footballers earn Tk 50–60 lakh a year, while female footballers receive only Tk 6–7 lakh. She added that female footballers do not even get regular salaries, housing facilities are lacking, and regular leagues are not organized for them. “Male players receive Tk 5 lakh as match incentives, whereas female players are given only a token amount. After the SAFF victory, Tk 1.5 crore was announced as an incentive for the women’s team, but it has yet to be paid.”

The Commission, formed to reinvestigate the 2009 BDR massacre, the brutal massacre committed in the name of BDR mutiny submitted its report to Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Sunday (November 30), noting that then PM Sheikh Hasina had a 'green signal' for the entire incident to take place while then MP Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh played the role of the main coordinator behind. Chief of the National Independent Investigation Commission Maj Gen (retd) ALM Fazlur Rahman, who was also former director general of BGB, and other members submitted the report to the Chief Adviser at the State Guest House Jamuna. Major General Md Jahangir Kabir Talukder (retd), Brigadier General Md Saidur Rahman Bir Pratik (retd), Munshi Alauddin Al Azad, Dr M Akbar Ali, Associate Professor of the Department of Political Science, Dhaka University Md Shariful Islam, Assistant Professor of the Institute of Education and Research, Jagannath University Md. Shahnewaz Khan Chandan are the members of the commission. Read more: Govt to ensure justice for deprived armed forces members: Chief Adviser "The nation was in the dark about the BDR massacre for a long time. The nation will remember the role you played in uncovering the truth. On behalf of the nation, I thank you,” Prof Yunus said. He said the nation had many questions about this most horrific incident in history and these questions will be answered through this work. Prof Yunus said there are many lessons to be learned from this report. “It will be a valuable asset for the nation.” Commission chief Fazlur Rahman said the highest professionalism has been maintained in the interest of making the investigation fair, impartial and error-free. He said when they started the work, many signs of this incident 16 years ago had been destroyed and many people involved in this incident have gone abroad. “We went through two processes. We called witnesses; we listened to some of them for up to 8 hours - as long as the individual wanted to say. We talked to those who were involved in the investigation. We collected their investigation reports and other elements,” Fazlur Rahman said. He said through this investigation, answers have been sought for every question in the public mind about the BDR killings, an attempt has been made to uncover who had what role and why the army did not take action. Fazlur Rahman said the investigation has found strong evidence of the direct involvement of external forces in the BDR killings and the direct involvement of the then ruling party Awami League. Read more: BDR mutiny a planned conspiracy to destabilise Bangladesh: Inquiry Commission chief Jahangir Kabir Talukder said about the commission’s findings that the commission has found some external and real reasons for this incident. He said the killings were planned and the role of the main coordinator behind it was played by the then MP Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, according to the Chief Adviser’s press wing. Jahangir said the local Awami League played a direct role in protecting those involved in the murder. They entered Peelkhana with a procession of 20-25 people and when they came out, there were more than two hundred people in that procession. Jahangir said that Hasina had a 'green signal' for the entire incident to take place, according to the press wing. Regarding the assessment of responsibility for the incident, Jahangir said that the responsibility for the incident lies with the then head of government and the army chief. A decision has been made to resolve this incident politically. The police, RAB and intelligence agencies have also failed miserably. Jahangir said that the role of some print and electronic media and some journalists during the incident was unprofessional. He said that the exact names and information of the BDR members with whom Sheikh Hasina met at the State Guest House Jamuna (the then Prime Minister's residence) during the murder were not preserved. The commission made several recommendations in its report so that such incidents can be avoided in the future and the victims of this incident get justice. The meeting was attended by National Security Advisor Dr Khalilur Rahman, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser on Defense and National Integration Development Lieutenant General (retd) Abdul Hafiz, and Home Secretary Nasimul Gani. Read more: Sacked BDR men dispersed near Kakrail while marching to Jamuna

Speakers at an event on Sunday underscored the urgent need to strengthen its national product traceability systems as global markets, especially the European Union, roll out new requirements tied to the circular economy, Digital Product Passports (DPP), responsible business conduct and sustainability reporting. The issue was highlighted at a high-level policy meeting titled Enhancing National Traceability for EU Market Access and Sustainability, organised by the Commerce Ministry in collaboration with GIZ under its STILE-II project. Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman chaired the discussion held at the ministry’s conference room. Business Initiative Leading Development (BUILD) served as the thematic and research partner for the event. In her keynote presentation, Ferdaus Ara Begum said that with 92% of Bangladesh–EU trade concentrated in the RMG sector, Bangladesh must align its policies with EU Green Deal requirements by approximately 2030. The keynote underscored major challenges, including data validation, interoperability, institutional coordination, and initial compliance costs. Drawing on international experiences from Vietnam, China, Japan, Korea, and India, she noted that public–private co-investment has been central to building robust traceability ecosystems. She emphasised the need for a National Traceability Strategy supported by sector-specific measures, adding requirement of a jhut sector directory, institutional frameworks for traceability, expanding data infrastructure, and introducing green financing options to help Bangladesh’s industry implement traceability solutions. Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman referring the examples of Germany, emphasized the need for establishing a digital platform for data exchange, and in that respect requested support from development partners. He also initiated the drafting of a National Traceability Strategy, which can include plans for a pilot of sector-specific traceability pilots under the leadership of Commerce Ministry and technical support from GIZ. Additionally, he inaugurated the activities of a multi stakeholder dialogue platform chaired by the Export Wing of the MoC and comprising of members from public and private sector which will convene policy discussions around key sustainability topics, including the suggested traceability policy. He advised EPB to initiate a project to explore Data Transparency and Governance issues by extending support to the exporters for having Unique ID, following experiences of implementing REX by EPB. Representatives from BGMEA, BKMEA, and the leather sector shared updates on ongoing sector-specific pilot initiatives. They noted that while progress is underway, these pilots must be scaled to include additional data layers and expanded to mid- and low-tier firms, including subcontracting units in RMG and down to the animal level in tanneries, to ensure compliance with the comprehensive traceability data requirements. BGMEA Director Sheikh H M Mustafiz said RMG entrepreneurs are encountering problems for data requirements from several quarters, such as brands, buyers and private consultants. “It is difficult for them to meet the requirement of multiple platforms, which do not follow a global or uniform standard as of yet. Therefore, a unified national standard or guideline would significantly streamline compliance and reduce costs.” First Secretary of the German Embassy Dhaka, Jannis Hussain highlighted two major challenges, data availability and generation, and the required digital infrastructure, which has significant cost implications for suppliers. The event brought together senior government officials, industry leaders, private-sector actors, and development partners to advance national-level dialogue on product traceability, an urgent prerequisite for sustaining Bangladesh’s export competitiveness in the context of evolving EU market regulations and post-LDC graduation challenges. Additional Secretary and Wing Chief of Export Wing of Commerce Ministry Abdur Rahim Khan put emphasis on due diligence following examples of Thailand, Cambodia and other suggested for a national Project Implementation Unit (PIU). Joint Secretary of the Planning Wing Mostofa Jamal Haider also highlighted how traceability can help Bangladesh negotiate better in a post LDC landscape. Public-sector representatives such as BSTI, BCSIR, BPC, ERD, Planning Commission were present and representatives from different Textile and Apparel Association, Leather Sector, Fisheries sector etc were present and spoke on the occasion.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Sunday ruled out the possibility of contesting the next national election, scheduled for February next year. “There is no reason for me to take part in the election,” he said, adding that, as far as they know, only Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Adviser Asif Mahmud has expressed interest in running. Hossain said no other member of the Council of Advisers has talked about contesting the upcoming election. “I don't even know whether anyone else wants to take part in the election. I am not interested,” he added. He made the remarks in response to a question during a ‘DCAB Talk’ at the Jatiya Press Club. Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) hosted the ‘DCAB Talk’ titled ‘Bangladesh’s Foreign Policy: Charting a Relevant Role in a Changing World’. DCAB President AKM Moinuddin and General Md Arifuzzaman Manun also spoke at the event. Adviser Asif Mahmud on Thursday said he will consult high-level government officials before announcing his decision to resign in order to contest the next election. He had already announced his intention to contest the election but had not yet disclosed from where he would run.

Bangladesh Health Assistants Association staged demonstration for the second consecutive day on Sunday to press home their 6-point demand including implementation of the 10th grade for their positions. The health assistance and others gathered in Central Shaheed Minar in the capital and staged demonstrations. UNB Kushtia correspondent reports, medical technologists and pharmacists in Kushtia observed a two-hour work abstention on Sunday demanding elimination of long-standing pay disparities and implementation of the 10th grade for their positions. The technologists and pharmacists joined the programme at Kushtia Medical College Hospital, the 250-bed Kushtia General Hospital and various health facilities across the district from 9 am to 11 am. Hospital services were disrupted due to the work abstention, causing significant suffering for patients seeking treatment. During the programme, participants also formed a human chain on the hospital premises. Speakers said that although other diploma-holding officials across the country have been upgraded to the second class, medical technologists and pharmacists continue to face discrimination. They expressed frustration that their demands remained unheeded despite movements. Mohammad Rafiqul Rahman, a diploma pharmacist at Kushtia General Hospital, said, “All other diploma-qualified officials receive second-class status, yet we are still treated as employees. This is clear discrimination. We urge the government to meet our demands immediately, or we will announce tougher programmes.” Md Sheikh Tarek, a medical technologist at Kushtia Medical College Hospital, said, “The 10th grade is not a demand but our right. The notification should be issued without delay. Today we observed a two-hour programme but next time, we may go for a full shutdown.” Patients seeking treatment faced difficulties, with many waiting at medicine counters for a long time with prescriptions in hand. Dr Hossain Imam, Resident Medical Officer (RMO) of Kushtia General Hospital, said several patients complained in the morning that they could not obtain medicines. “I later saw that the staff had hung a work-stoppage banner. This has increased patient suffering. A large number of people come to our hospital for treatment every day. Technologists and pharmacists are a crucial part of hospital services, and their demands need urgent consideration,” he said. If they enforce a shutdown, ordinary people will be deprived of essential healthcare, and therefore the government should take prompt, effective action, he said.

A 52-year-old journalist was killed when an unidentified vehicle hit his motorbike on Khilgaon Flyover in the capital on Sunday. The deceased was identified as Zahir Bhuiyan, sports reporter of Daily Vorer Pata and son of Shamsuddin Bhuiya of Muradnagar upazila in Cumilla district. Zahir, father of two daughters, used to live with his family at Madhya Bashabo area. Inspector Md Faruk, in-charge of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital police camp, said the accident occurred around 3:45 pm when an unknown vehicle hit his motorbike, leaving him critically injured. Later, he was taken to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital where doctors declared him dead.  

A wild monkey wandering through the busy streets of Karwan Bazar on a hectic afternoon left pedestrians surprised on Sunday. The animal was seen moving along the roadside in search of food, offering an unusual yet striking scene in one of the capital’s most crowded commercial hubs.

'Sammilita Islami Bank PLC' (formerly United Islamic Bank PLC), created through the merger of five financially troubled Islamic banks, has officially received final approval from Bangladesh Bank. The approval came on Sunday during a special board meeting chaired by Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Ahsan H Mansur. The new bank is expected to begin full operations in the first week of December. The five banks being merged are First Security Islami Bank, Global Islami Bank, Social Islami Bank, EXIM Bank, and Union Bank. Bangladesh Bank has already started preparatory work, including opening designated accounts for the new bank at its Motijheel office. Sammilita Islami Bank’s headquarters have been set up at Sena Kalyan Bhaban in Motijheel, Dhaka. The central bank revealed that the new entity will have a total Paid-Up Capital of Tk 35,000 crore—Tk 20,000 crore contributed by the government and Tk 15,000 crore from depositors’ shares. The initially authorized capital is set at Tk 40,000 crore. Bangladesh Bank expressed confidence that this consolidation will strengthen the Islamic banking sector and help restore stability.