United News of Bangladesh

Election campaigns must be intensive and people-friendly to increase public participation in the upcoming polls, Information and Broadcasting Secretary Mahbuba Farzana said on Wednesday. She made the remarks at a Zoom meeting held to guide district information officers on field-level strategies for the 13th National Parliament Election and the referendum. The meeting was organized by the Department of Mass Communication. Director General of the Department, Md. Abdul Jalil, presided over the event, which was joined by employees from 68 field offices. Mahbuba Farzana said the upcoming polls will be “unique and unprecedented,” as instructed by the Chief Adviser. She noted that district information offices will have a major role in promoting the election and shaping public opinion, and directed officers to begin campaign activities immediately. She highlighted that, for the first time, the national election and a referendum will be held on the same day, making communication at the grassroots level—from unions to villages—a significant challenge. She expressed confidence that information officers would meet this challenge successfully. The Secretary said the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will work jointly with the Ministry of Cultural Affairs for election publicity. She also instructed information officers to stay connected with Bangla Fact, led by PIB, for rumor control and fact-checking. Officers were told to work innovatively and maintain close coordination with district administrations and election officers. Speaking at the event, the Director General said the Department of Mass Communication has 102 years of experience in campaign work. He shared that 34 election-related songs have been prepared in line with the code of conduct, to be performed in regional languages across different areas. Demonstrations on how to vote “yes” or “no” will also be shown in village markets. Yunus calls for joint effort to make national election festive He said efforts are being made to make the campaign more modern and appealing to encourage voter participation. Additional Secretary Dr. Mohammad Altaf-ul-Alam, Joint Secretary Mahfuza Akhtar, and Directors Mir Mohammad Aslam Uddin and Syed A. Mu’men also spoke at the event.    

Hallmark Group Managing Director (MD) Md. Tanvir Mahmud, who had been serving a jail term in connection with the Hallmark loan scam, died while undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) on Saturday night (November 29). He was 55. AIG (Development) of the Prisons Department Md. Jannat-ul Farhad confirmed that Tanvir Mahmud passed away around 10:30 pm. Tanvir had been imprisoned in cases filed with Ramna Police Station and Kafrul Police Station. Read more: HC rejects Hallmark chairperson’s bail plea in graft case Prison authorities said he had been suffering from multiple health complications, including chronic kidney disease (CKD), hypertension, diabetes, benign prostatic enlargement (BEP), bronchial asthma, chronic pancreatitis, vomiting, and urinary retention. As his condition deteriorated, he was taken from Dhaka Central Jail to DMCH at 1:35 pm on Saturday and admitted around 4 pm. He was placed in Bed No. 19 of ward number 602 under medical supervision. His health worsened rapidly after admission, and doctors later declared him dead at around 10:30 pm, the prison official said. Read more: Dhaka court sentences 9 including Hallmark MD Tanvir, wife to life imprisonment

Md Matiul Islam, the first Finance Secretary of independent Bangladesh and a key figure in rebuilding the nation's post-war financial system, has passed away at the age of 95. A statement released by his family confirmed his demise, sharing the news with deep sorrow. "It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved father and grandfather," the statement read, adding that he breathed his last earlier this morning. "He will always remain in our hearts for the love he gave, his wisdom, and his quiet but powerful influence on all around him," the family expressed. Matiul Islam began his distinguished career in 1952 when he joined the Pakistan Civil Service. Following Bangladesh's independence, he took on the crucial and challenging role of the nation's first Finance Secretary in 1972. His responsibilities included the difficult tasks of rebuilding a shattered financial system and implementing the nationalization of the banking sector. His impactful career extended beyond the finance ministry. According to the website of IIDFC, a non-bank financial institution where he served as a director, he subsequently held positions as: Secretary of the Ministry of Industries. Alternate Executive Director at the World Bank. Chief of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)/World Bank Co-operative Program in Vienna.UNIDO Country Director in India. Mr. Islam was academically brilliant, having secured first class first position in B. Com from Dhaka University. He later earned a Master's degree in Public Administration from Harvard University in the United States. In recognition of his immense contributions to the nation’s financial governance and public life, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB) honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021.    

The Credit Rating Agency of Bangladesh Limited (CRAB) has expressed profound sorrow over the death of its founding director, Md. Matiul Islam. In a statement on Thursday, CRAB described Matiul Islam as a visionary leader who played a pivotal role in shaping Bangladesh’s financial landscape. His guidance was instrumental in establishing CRAB as a high-standard credit rating agency in the country. “The CRAB board, management team, and staff extend their heartfelt condolences to the family and well-wishers of Md. Matiul Islam,” the statement said. Matiul Islam, who was also the first Finance Secretary of independent Bangladesh, passed away at his residence in Dhaka on Thursday morning. He was 95.

Former finance minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali passed away  in Dhaka on Thursday. He breathed his last at a hospital in the capital, said his family. Born on June 2, 1943, in Doctorpara village of Khanasama upazila in Dinajpur, Mahmood Ali was the son of Hasan Ali, a former minister of the then Pakistan government. He was elected a Member of Parliament four times from Dinajpur-4 (Khansama-Chirirbandar) constituency during the Awami League government’s tenure. He served as the finance minister until from January 11, 2024 to August 5, 2024. He also served as the foreign minister from February 2014 to January 2019 and earlier as the minister for disaster management and relief from 2012 to 2013. Mahmood Ali, popularly known as H M Mahmood Ali, was a former diplomat. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Economics from Dhaka University in 1962 and completed his master’s the following year. In 1964, he briefly taught at the same university before joining Pakistan’s Foreign Service in 1966. While serving as a diplomat under the Pakistan government, he played a significant role in favor of Bangladesh’s independence during the 1971 Liberation War. He lost his parliamentary seat after the dissolution of parliament in 2024, following the fall of the Awami League government in the student-led July Uprising.  

Journalists across the country held protest rallies on Saturday demanding the implementation of the ‘No Wage Board, No Media’ policy, formulation of a journalist protection law, introduction of two weekly holidays, and repeal of all anti-media black laws. The protests were organised under the banner of the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), which placed a 39-point charter of demands aimed at ensuring press freedom and journalists’ welfare. At a rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka, BFUJ Secretary General Kader Gani Chowdhury presented the demands. Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) President Shahidul Islam presided over the event, while Jatiya Press Club President Hasan Hafiz, BFUJ Senior Vice-President Obaidur Rahman Shahin, Vice-Presidents Khairul Bashar and AKM Mohsin, along with several other senior journalists, addressed the gathering. 10th CJEN conference begins with calls for journalists’ safety and ethical journalism Among the key demands are: ·  Immediate implementation of the ninth wage board and formation of the tenth, along with a unified wage board for print, electronic, online, and multimedia journalists. ·  Enforcement of the ‘No Wage Board, No Media’ policy to ensure fair pay and benefits. ·  Formulation of a journalist protection policy and establishment of a separate labour court for journalists. ·  Two weekly holidays for journalists in line with other sectors. ·  End to harassment, intimidation and killings of journalists, with speedy trials for all past murder cases including that of Sagar-Runi. ·  Abolition of all anti-media laws, and guarantees for editorial and institutional independence of media houses. ·  Fair wages for district correspondents, many of whom work without pay, and safeguards against arbitrary dismissal. ·  Mandatory written appointment letters, timely payment of salaries, and accident and health insurance for media workers. ·  Inclusion of journalists in state policymaking and ensuring that no intelligence agency interferes in media operations. ·  Reduction of import duties and taxes on newsprint, and declaring the media industry as a recognised sector to ensure sustainable growth. Kader Gani Chowdhury said the BFUJ envisions “a transformed media environment where journalists can report freely, without fear or favour, and pursue truth with responsibility as the driving force of journalism.” The nationwide protests, he said, reflect journalists’ unity in defending their professional rights and press freedom.    

The government has issued a set of directives under Section 17 of the Bangladesh Water Act, 2023, to ensure proper management of water resources in water-stressed areas across the country. The Ministry of Water Resources issued a gazette notification on Tuesday declaring certain areas as water-stressed for specific periods based on findings from investigations, tests, audits, and surveys conducted for the protection of reservoirs and groundwater strata. According to the notification, a total of 47 unions in 25 upazilas of Rajshahi, Chapainawabganj, and Naogaon districts in the North-West Hydrological Region have been identified as extremely high water-stressed areas. Another 40 unions have been categorised as high water-stressed areas and 66 unions as medium water-stressed areas. In Chattogram district, five mouzas of Patiya Municipality in Patiya Upazila have been declared as extremely high water-stressed areas and three mouzas as high water-stressed areas. Besides, seven mouzas in three unions have been listed as very high water crisis areas, 27 mouzas in nine unions as high water crisis areas, and 30 mouzas in eight unions as medium water crisis areas. Directives for water crisis areas 1. Priority-based use of water resources must be ensured in accordance with Sections 3 and 18 of the Bangladesh Water Act, 2023; 2. Installation of new tube wells and extraction of groundwater for purposes other than drinking shall be prohibited. Use of existing tube wells for non-drinking purposes shall also be restricted; 3. No industry or institution dependent on groundwater may be established; 4. The classification of canals, beels, ponds, rivers, or other water reservoirs cannot be altered, and these bodies must remain accessible for public use; 5. Leasing of private water bodies or publicly usable water facilities should be discouraged; 6. The natural flow of watercourses must not be obstructed; 7. Complete extraction of water from any reservoir shall be prohibited; 8. Activities that may destroy or alter the natural characteristics of land or water shall not be permitted; 9. Discharge of untreated liquid or solid waste from households, industries, or other institutions into rivers, reservoirs, lakes, or wetlands shall be strictly prohibited; 10. Cultivation of highly water-dependent crops should be discouraged or limited and water-saving crops promoted in phases. 11. Any additional measures deemed necessary may be undertaken to ensure access to safe drinking water and sufficient water for domestic use. The directives must be followed, and any violation will be punishable under Section 29 and other relevant clauses of the Bangladesh Water Act, 2023, reads the notification.

A construction worker was electrocuted while working in the basement of an under-construction building near Shankar Bus Stand in Dhanmondi on Monday noon. The deceased was identified as Azahar, 40. He was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital around 2:30 pm and declared dead at 3:15 pm, hospital authorities said.  Monir, an engineer at the construction site, said, “While operating a motor to remove accumulated water in the basement he got electrocuted and lost consciousness. We rescued him and took him to the hospital but he could not be saved.” Gas explosion in Narayanganj factory leaves 6 workers injured Inspector Md. Faruk, in charge of the DMCH police outpost, said that the body was kept at the hospital morgue. “We have informed the police of the relevant area about the death,” he added.  

Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) has expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of Md Nurul Amin, father of its member Nazrul Islam. Amin, who passed away on Wednesday night at a hospital in Dhaka due to complications related to old age, was laid to rest at his family graveyard in Lakshmipur on Thursday. He was 64. In a condolence message on Friday, DCAB President AKM Moinuddin and General Secretary Md Arifuzzaman Mamun extended heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved family and prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul. He is survived by his wife, one son, two daughters, and a host of relatives and well-wishers who mourn his loss, said his son and Dhaka Post Diplomatic Correspondent Nazrul Islam.  

Saturday marks the seventh death anniversary of Bangladesh’s rock icon Ayub Bachchu, the legendary singer, guitarist, composer, and music director whose contributions transformed the country’s modern music landscape. One of the most celebrated rockstars in Bangladesh, Bachchu passed away on this day in 2018 at the age of 56, following a cardiac arrest at his Moghbazar residence in the capital. The legendary frontman of Love Runs Blind (LRB) is being remembered across the nation by his family, fans, fellow musicians, and admirers through tributes, prayers, and special media features. To mark the day, a memorial event, milad, and doa mahfil are being held this evening at Celebration Community Point in Moghbazar. The programme has been jointly organised by the Chattogram Musicians Club, Dhaka, the Ayub Bachchu Foundation, and Bandhumahal. According to Abdullah Al Masud, General Secretary of the Ayub Bachchu Foundation, prayer gatherings have been held at different mosques since October 17. The series of commemorative programmes will conclude on October 20 in Chattogram, where local musicians will pay tribute to the late rock maestro. Among the many tributes, filmmaker Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, who collaborated with Bachchu on the fan-favourite Bachelor soundtrack “Ami To Preme Porini,” shared a video of musician Khan Moidul Islam (D-Rockstar Shuvo) performing Bachchu’s classic “Cholo Bodle Jai” with the caption: “AB forever .” The performance took place in Beijing, China, during a cultural event celebrating 50 years of Bangladesh–China diplomatic relations. Shuvo performed two of Bachchu’s timeless numbers, “Ghumonto Shohore” and “Cholo Bodle Jai,” alongside popular musicians Oni Hasan, Emon Chowdhury, and his Bengal Symphony. “I performed two of his songs — Ghumonto Shohore and Cholo Bodle Jai. Even the foreign diplomats joined in cheering with our Bengali audience. That’s the universal power of the legendary Ayub Bachchu’s music,” Shuvo told UNB from Beijing. Born on August 16, 1962, in Patiya’s Khorna Union of Chattogram, Ayub Bachchu was the son of Mohammad Ishaque Chowdhury and Nurjahan Begum. He began his musical journey with the band Golden Boys (later renamed Ugly Boys) alongside his childhood friend and renowned singer Kumar Bishwajit. He later played with leading bands Feelings and Souls, sharing the stage with another rock icon, James, before founding LRB in 1991. Under Bachchu’s leadership, LRB performed over 2,500 concerts at home and abroad, including a U.S. tour covering seven states. Throughout his prolific career, Ayub Bachchu released 16 solo albums, founded the ‘AB Kitchen’ studio and production house, and composed numerous film soundtracks, including hits such as “Ammajaan,” “Sagorika,” “Ononto Prem,” and “Ami To Preme Porini.” His timeless creations — “Rupali Guitar,” “Cholo Bodle Jai,” “Ekhon Onek Raat,” “Koshto,” “Shei Tumi Keno Eto Ochena Hole,” “Ferari Ei Monta Amar,” “Ekdin Ghum Bhanga Shohore,” and “Hashte Dekho Gaite Dekho” remain cherished anthems of Bangladeshi rock music. Even seven years after his passing, Ayub Bachchu’s voice, vision, and “Rupali Guitar” continue to echo through generations of fans who keep his legacy alive.