United News of Bangladesh

The Chief Adviser’s Press Wing on Wednesday denied social media claims linking Professor Ali Riaz, special assistant to the chief adviser, to a woman spreading a video statement about him. “Professor Riaz does not know the woman, and the video is false, fabricated, and baseless,” the press wing said in a statement. According to the statement, the woman, named Atandranu Ripa, has been attempting to defame Professor Riaz on social media since Tuesday. Prof Ali Riaz appointed CA’s special assistant “Professor Ali Riaz has no connection with the woman spreading this video. Any claims suggesting otherwise are completely false and appear to have been deliberately propagated,” the statement added. The government is closely monitoring the situation and may take action. Ali Riaz has also requested the concerned to stop making such statements, otherwise legal action will be taken against defamatory and offensive content.    

The government has appointed new Upazila Nirbahi Officers (UNOs) in 166 upazilas as part of an ongoing administrative reshuffle. The Ministry of Public Administration issued eight separate notifications in this regard on Wednesday. According to the notifications, the ministry has delegated Section 144 powers under the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, to the newly appointed officers, enabling them to operate as executive magistrates within their respective jurisdictions. 826 judges get promotion The ministry instructed all newly appointed UNOs to join their new workplaces by the afternoon of November 30. “Failure to join by the deadline will be considered as being released (stand-relieved) from their current posts, whether in training or in the workplace,” the notification added. The notifications also asked any officer whose posting has already been changed to submit their joining letter with the updated office name and address.  

Default loans in Bangladesh's banking sector have surged significantly, reaching Tk 6,44,515 crore at the end of September this year. This alarming figure represents 35.73 percent of the total disbursed loans. The increase is massive compared to the end of December 2024, when the volume of non-performing loans (NPLs) stood at Tk3,35,765 crore. This indicates that default loans have ballooned by Tk 2,98,750 crore over the nine-month period, although this is mainly due to the exposure of funds siphoned off under the previous government that are only now beginning to be included under the NPL category, as well as the adoption of stricter international standards in classifying loans. The development was confirmed by Shahriar Siddiqui, Director and Spokesperson for the Bangladesh Bank, to the media on Wednesday (November 26). Read more: Union Bank suffered Tk 26,000cr net loss in 2024 amid S. Alam Group scam Bangladesh Bank officials attribute the substantial increase to multiple factors: Exposure of Unaccounted Funds: Funds reportedly siphoned off from banks under various names during the tenure of the Awami League government are now beginning to be classified as non-performing. Adoption of International Standards: The country's adoption of international standards for classifying loan defaults is contributing to the rise in NPLs. Failure of Rescheduled Loans: Many loans that were previously restructured or rescheduled are failing to be repaid. Central Bank Intervention: The central bank has listed several irregular loans as defaults, further pushing up the NPL volume. According to data from the central bank, the total outstanding disbursed loan amount stood at Tk 18,03,840 crore at the end of September this year. Of this amount, the defaulted portion, as mentioned, is Tk 6,44,515 crore, which is 35.73 percent. Comparing year-over-year figures, default loans had reached Tk 2,84,977 crore at the end of September last year. This means that the total volume of non-performing loans has increased by a staggering Tk 3,59,718 crore over the past twelve months, for the factors mentioned above. Read more: Bangladesh shifts fiscal gears as bank debt falls

The Fair Election Advisory Committee on Wednesday called upon the Election Commission and all relevant authorities to demonstrate the highest level of professionalism, neutrality and ethical conduct as the country prepares for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. The organisation made the appeal at a press conference held at the Abdus Salam Hall of the National Press Club. The briefing was chaired by Dr Khandaker Rashedul Haque, former additional secretary to the government and president of the committee. The position paper was presented by the committee’s member-secretary, Dr Md Shariful Alam, former secretary to the government and currently a professor at Dhaka International University. In its position paper, the Fair Election Advisory Committee outlined key priorities required to ensure a free, fair and acceptable election. Dr Shariful Alam said the nation has endured three unacceptable national elections in 2014, 2018 and 2024, and is now waiting for a genuinely credible and impartial electoral process. He noted that the Chief Adviser has already expressed his commitment to holding a free and fair election, and stressed that this commitment must be translated into action by the Election Commission and the field administration through the demonstration of utmost professionalism and integrity. The committee presented several major recommendations necessary to uphold transparency and public trust in the electoral process. It emphasised the urgent need to install online CCTV cameras in all polling centres, stating that given the current context, there is no alternative to robust surveillance for ensuring transparent voting. Approximately 43,000 polling centres would require installation, which the committee estimated would cost around Tk 200 crore. It argued that this expenditure is reasonable and justified compared to the scale of government development projects, and that the cameras could later be reused in educational institutions and future elections. The committee suggested decentralising procurement through the Direct Purchase Method and delegating funds to Upazila Nirbahi Officers to ensure swift implementation. The position paper further underscored the need to equip law enforcement personnel with body-worn cameras. At least two officers deployed at each polling centre should be required to wear such devices, which the committee said would enhance accountability, improve monitoring of on-duty personnel and strengthen law and order management during the polls. Another key recommendation concerned large-scale transfers and postings within the field administration. District Commissioners, Superintendents of Police, Upazila Nirbahi Officers, Officers-in-Charge and election officials should be reassigned through a lottery system to eliminate local bias and ensure neutrality. The committee proposed that these officials be transferred again within 15 days after the election. Those demonstrating complete neutrality and professionalism should be rewarded with important postings, while those failing to maintain impartial conduct should face exemplary disciplinary action. The committee also urged the authorities to conduct a coordinated special drive to recover illegal firearms before the election schedule is announced. It said the drive must continue until polling day to ensure that no group has the opportunity or courage to disrupt the electoral environment or attempt to capture polling stations. Calling on all officials engaged in election duties to uphold the highest standards of honesty and neutrality, the committee stressed that government employees must remain free from any political or group influence while carrying out their responsibilities. It urged the government, the Election Commission and the Cabinet Division to take necessary measures to create such an environment. Election schedule to be announced in early Dec: Election Commissioner Anwarul Islam According to the Fair Election Advisory Committee, the July 2024 mass uprising has created an opportunity for the restoration of democratic practice in Bangladesh. It said a credible election is crucial to fulfilling this aspiration and that all stakeholders must act responsibly to ensure a peaceful, transparent and acceptable electoral process. The Fair Election Advisory Committee is an organisation composed of retired officers of the Bangladesh Civil Service and works on election observation. The recommendations presented today were based on their extensive experience in administering elections and in light of the shortcomings observed in previous polls.    

Thousands of residents in the capital’s Korail slum are struggling to come to terms with the aftermath of Tuesday’s devastating fire that reduced their homes and livelihoods to ashes.

The Bangladesh Bank has imposed strict limitations on foreign travel for all bank officers and employees until the 13th general election is held. This measure is intended to prevent any administrative disruption or void in banking operations leading up to and during the election period. The central bank’s Banking Regulation and Policy Department (BRPD) issued a circular to this effect on Wednesday (November 26). The circular mandates that managing directors, chief executive officers, and other bank officers and employees of bank-companies must refrain from foreign travel unless it is due to extremely urgent and absolutely indispensable reasons. Bangladesh Bank extends loan rescheduling facility for defaulters The central bank stated that this "limited travel policy" has been enforced to ensure the stability and smooth functioning of the banking sector during the election period. The directive emphasizes that creating a vacuum in critical administrative positions ahead of the election could hinder the overall management of banks, necessitating this cautionary step.  

The National Board of Revenue (NBR) and all officials and employees under the Internal Resources Division (IRD) have been instructed to refrain from travelling abroad until the upcoming national election, except for unavoidable reasons. The directive follows a circular issued by the Chief Adviser’s Office, after which the IRD forwarded the instructions to NBR. The Chief Adviser’s Office recently wrote to the IRD Secretary expressing concern that officials were travelling abroad without adhering to existing government instructions. The letter noted instances where both the adviser in charge of a ministry and its secretary were abroad at the same time, as well as situations where multiple officials from the same ministry travelled overseas simultaneously.

A five-member committee was formed to probe Korail slum fire in the capital on Tuesday. Headed by Mamunur Rashid, deputy director (operation and maintenance) of Fire Service and Civil Defense (FSCD), the committee has been asked to submit its report within the next 15 working days. The other members of the committee are—Atish Chakma, deputy director of FSCD zone-2, Nazim Uddin Sarkar, senior station officer of FSCD of Tejgaon, Sohrab Hossain, warehouse inspector of FSCD of Dhaka-23 and Kazi Nazmuzzaman, assistant director of FSCD. A massive fire swept through the Korail slum on Tuesday, leaving hundreds of residents under the open sky. However, no casualty was reported.    

The Election Commission (EC) has withdrawn region-based timeframes for expatriate Bangladeshis registering as postal voters, allowing them to complete online registration from anywhere in the world at any time starting from Thursday till December 18 next to vote in the upcoming national election and referendum, said its Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed on Wednesday. “Expatriates can register to vote from anywhere in the world anytime from 12:00am after Wednesday midnight,” he told reporters after a meeting with a team from TikTok at the Nirbachan Bhaban in the city. Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, election commissioners and EC senior officials were present at the meeting held on Wednesday afternoon. The TikTok delegation, led by Ferdous Mottakin, Head of Public Policy & Government Relations for South Asia, joined the meeting that focused on ensuring accurate online information and combating misinformation, creating a safe and fact-based digital environment during the upcoming general election. Akhtar Ahmed said the expatriate voter registration process, launched on November 18, initially divided the world into eight regions and allocated five days for each region.  “From now on, those regional restrictions and five-day timeframes have been removed,” he said. The EC launched the ‘Postal Vote Bd’ app on November 18 and opened it on November 19 initially for expatriate voters living in 53 countries located in East Asian, South American and African regions ahead of the 13th parliamentary election and the referendum on the July National Charter, both are likely to be held in a single day in early February 2026. Later, on November 24, the Commission opened the registration process for 16 other countries in North America and Oceania regions, including the USA, Australia and Canada. Besides, the app was to open for the expats staying in 42 other countries from November 29 to December 03, for the Bangladeshis staying in Saudi Arabia from December 04 to 08, the expats in 18 countries from December 09 to 13, for the Bangladeshis in 14 countries from December 14 to 18. But on Wednesday, the Commission removed the region-based timeframe to open the online registration process for expatriate voters living in 143 countries across the world. The EC Secretary said the registration process might cause some technical issues. “For example, in some cases OTPs did not reach users — we have identified such problems. Any errors that appear will be addressed immediately,” he said. He said a mock voting exercise will be held from 8am to 12pm on Saturday at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Government Girls’ High School in the city. Allow expats to register with only passports: BNP to EC “Since the national election and referendum will be held on the same day, we want to rehearse the entire process in advance to ensure greater efficiency,” Akhtar Ahmed said. Reviewing the outcome of the mock voting, the commission would take decisions on whether it needs to increase the number of polling centres, expand coordination, or add more polling booths and manpower, he added. Noting that the ordinance has recently been issued to hold the referendum, he said the commission has taken advance preparations immediately after getting hints about it.    

Shaheed Dr Milon Day will be observed across the country on Thursday, commemorating the 35th martyrdom anniversary of Dr Shamsul Alam Khan Milon who was killed during the 90s’ anti-autocratic movement. Different socio-cultural and political organisations as well as professional bodies have chalked out various programmes to observe the day with due respect. The day's programmes include placing wreaths at the grave of Shaheed Dr Milon on the Dhaka Medical College campus, offering 'fateha' there and holding discussions to mark the day. On this day in 1990, Dr Milon, the then joint secretary general of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) and a teacher of Dhaka Medical College, was shot dead by gunmen near TSC on the Dhaka University campus on his way to a meeting against then autocratic ruler HM Ershad. The movement got momentum following the martyrdom of Dr Milon and autocratic ruler Ershad had to quit power finally in the face of a vigorous mass movement. BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, in separate messages, paid homage to Shaheed Dr Milon, recalling his supreme sacrifice for the restoration of democracy in the country. In his message, Tarique said, Dr Milon’s sacrifice helped restore the lost democracy and pushed the movement against the Ershad regime towards victory. “He (Milon) sacrificed his life to bring back people’s rights, and his blood paved the way for the fall of dictatorship and the return of democratic rule under the leadership of Begum Khaleda Zia,” he said. During the last 16 years of the fallen Awami government, Tarique said people lost all their rights and democracy was buried and people’s ownership of the country was snatched. Although the united movement by students and masses on August 5 brought a new freedom, conspiracies both at home and abroad against the country still continue. “But if we stay united, no conspiracy can succeed. The sacrifice of Shaheed Dr Milon will always inspire us.” In a separate message, Mirza Fakhrul said Milon is an important and unforgettable name in the democratic movement of the 1980s. “His sacrifice will always be written in golden letters in the history of our struggle for democracy.” Even after the fall of the fascist Awami government, he said conspirators are still trying to destabilise the country. “But our people are united, and they will never succeed. Dr Milon’s sacrifice will continue to inspire us to build a strong democracy.”