United News of Bangladesh

A teenage boy was allegedly stabbed in front of his residence in the Basila area of Mohammadpur in the capital on Thursday, reportedly over a previous feud. The injured Maruf Hossain, is a resident of Lafadi village under Babuganj upazila in Barishal district. He had been living with his family as a tenant in the Dayal Housing area of Basila under Mohammadpur Police Station. His father, Kalam, said Maruf works as a rickshaw puller and had a long-standing dispute with a local youth named Joynal. He alleged that around 2:30 pm, Joynal called Maruf outside and stabbed him in the abdomen near their house before fleeing the scene. Later, we took Maruf to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) around 5:30 pm. Raju Ahmed, Sub-Inspector (SI) of Mohammadpur Police Station, said they came to know about the incident and the injured teenager is currently undergoing treatment at DMCH. Police are trying to uncover the reason and motive behind the attack, he added.

The High Court on Thursday directed the Bangladesh Public Service Commission (PSC) to publish the merit-based results of candidates seeking non-cadre appointments under the 43rd Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination within 60 days. The HC bench of Justice Sashanka Shekhar Sarkar and Justice Urmee Rahman passed the order after hearing a writ petition filed by 465 non-cadre candidates of the 43rd BCS. Barrister Mohammad Humaun Kabir Pallob represented the petitioners. High court issues rule over legality of allocating road, footpath spaces to hawkers The writ petition was filed on January 29, 2024 challenging the legality of the PSC's recommendation of 642 candidates for non-cadre posts under the 43rd BCS. Following a preliminary hearing, the High Court on February 5, 2024 issued a rule. The petitioners sought an order to preserve the non-cadre posts under the 43rd BCS. On December 15 last year, the court ordered the preservation of 8,501 non-cadre posts under the 43rd BCS. According to the writ petition, the 43rd BCS circular was published on November 30, 2020. A total of 9,841 candidates passed the written examination. On December 14, 2023, the PSC invited online preferences from candidates willing to accept non-cadre positions. Later, on December 26, 2023, the commission recommended 2,163 candidates for various cadre posts and 642 candidates for non-cadre positions. The petitioners alleged that the PSC did not publish a merit list for non-cadre candidates before making the recommendations, which is contrary to the Non-Cadre Recruitment (Special) Rules, 2010, as amended in 2014. The petition stated that under the relevant rules, qualified candidates who could not be appointed to cadre posts due to a shortage of vacancies were supposed to be recommended for non-cadre positions based on merit and in phases until the publication of the final results of the next BCS examination. Barrister Pallob argued before the court that inviting candidates' preferences and recommending appointments without publishing the full non-cadre results constituted a clear violation of the recruitment rules. He said many successful candidates have already crossed the age limit for applying to other government jobs due to the prolonged process. “The PSC, as the country's highest constitutional recruitment body, has undermined the confidence of thousands of meritorious job seekers through an opaque process,” he said.

Bangladesh Police is giving the highest priority to ensuring the security of officials and employees of the United Nations and other foreign organisations operating in the country, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md Ali Hossain Fakir said on Thursday. He came up with the remarks when Tess B Bresnan, security adviser to the United Nations in Bangladesh, paid a courtesy call on him at the Police Headquarters. Technology reshaping crime, police must adapt: IGP During the meeting, Bresnan expressed satisfaction with the professionalism and cooperation of Bangladesh Police in ensuring the security of officials and staff working for various UN agencies and partner organisations in the country. She also highly praised the role of Bangladesh Police in ensuring the smooth conduct of the 13th parliamentary election. During the meeting, the IGP also discussed the activities of Bangladesh Police in Rohingya camps and various community policing initiatives aimed at upholding democratic values and maintaining social stability. Senior police officials were present at the meeting.

A construction worker died after being electrocuted while working at a building in the Shyampur School Road area under Kadamtali Police Station in the capital on Saturday afternoon. The deceased was identified as Md Mozammel Rari, 35, son of Abdur Rashid Rari, hailing from Kalaibeshar Baraitala village in Galachipa upazila of Patuakhali district. The incident occurred around 3:30pm when Mozammel was carrying out plastering work from a scaffold set up on the 2nd floor of a house in the Palpara Beltala area, according to witnesses. He was rescued in an unconscious condition and taken to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), where doctors declared him dead. House owner Md Sharif said Mozammel came into contact with an electric wire while working on the rear side of the building.

State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam on Saturday said illegal occupiers would be evicted from 56 canals in the capital through two committees formed for the purpose. Of the canals, 27 are under the jurisdiction of the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and 29 under the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), said the state minister, while visiting the ongoing canal-cleaning drive at Muslim Bazar Canal in Mirpur-12. DNCC Administrator Md Shafiqul Islam Khan, who accompanied the state minister, said he wanted to transform Dhaka North into a modern, clean city free from any odours with the support of its residents. The state minister said the canals would be permanently preserved by constructing guide walls on both sides after demarcating their boundaries following the eviction of illegal occupiers. "If the canals of Dhaka are not preserved, the city will eventually become uninhabitable," he said, urging city dwellers to cooperate with the authorities in restoring and protecting the canals. He said the removal of waste and garbage from both large and small canals under DNCC and DSCC was underway and would continue. The state minister alleged that no sincere cleanliness campaign had been carried out over the past 19 years and said the present government had launched a citywide drive to remove waste from roads, alleys and canals in the interest of city residents. He said around 450 truckloads of waste had already been removed from Muslim Bazar Canal and similar operations would be carried out in all canals to protect city dwellers from waterlogging during the monsoon season. Mir Shahe Alam warned that Dhaka would become uninhabitable if the canals were not freed from encroachment and pollution. He said canal restoration, demarcation, cleaning and waste removal drives would continue as long as the city corporations and their administrators remained in office. The state minister also warned of legal action and fines against anyone found dumping garbage in canals, near houses or on roads after the areas had been cleaned. Speaking at the event, DNCC Administrator Shafiqul Islam Khan said all service-oriented and development activities would continue in line with public demand and necessity. He said that since June 5, some 416 truckloads of sludge and waste had been removed from the bed of Muslim Bazar Canal. The administrator also alleged that no such initiative to clean canals had been taken during the previous "fascist" government's 19-year rule. He said all canals under DNCC would be cleaned following the directives of Acting Chairman of the BNP Tarique Rahman with a view to presenting the city dwellers with a waterlogging-free capital. The administrator said DNCC workers were carrying out regular cleaning drives in roads, alleys, canals and other areas to make the city free from dengue, and the campaign would continue. Replying to a question from journalists, he said efforts would be made to undertake coordinated development activities with the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) and the Dhaka Electric Supply Company (DESCO) so that the same roads do not need to be excavated repeatedly. After inaugurating the canal-cleaning programme, the state minister and the DNCC administrator inspected the cleanliness drive in and around Muslim Bazar Canal.

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) on Saturday conducted separate mobile court drives in Dhanmondi, Mirpur Road, and the Hatirpool adjacent kitchen market area to strengthen waste management, mosquito control, and remove illegal encroachments from public spaces. The drives were carried by magistrate Mohammad Aminul Islam in various locations of Wards 17 and 18 under Zone-1 of DSCC. In Ward 18, illegal structures and roadside shops were removed from the footpaths and roadways opposite Science Laboratory, House No. 1, Road No. 2, and along both sides of Mirpur Road in Dhanmondi. The areas were subsequently cleared to restore public access and order. During the operation, three cases were filed for unlawful occupation of footpaths and roads, resulting in fines totaling Tk 3,000. A separate mobile court operation was conducted from approximately in the morning in the Hatirpool kitchen market and surrounding areas under Wards 17 and 18. The drive focused on improving waste management practices, controlling mosquito breeding, and enhancing public awareness. To ensure market discipline and promote civic responsibility, 21 cases were filed under various provisions of the Local Government (City Corporation) Act, 2009, leading to fines amounting to Tk 22,200. In total, the two operations resulted in 24 cases and Tk 25,200 in fines collected. Officials involved in the drive stated that such enforcement activities will continue regularly to maintain urban order, improve waste management, and strengthen mosquito control efforts across the city. The operations were conducted with the participation of relevant DSCC officials, employees, and members of law enforcement agencies.

Experts, academics, and civil society representatives have called for transforming urban greening into a strong social movement to make Dhaka more livable and environmentally sustainable. The call was made on Saturday at a seminar titled “Greening Movement for Sustainable Development of Dhaka,” jointly organized by “Greenwatch Dhaka” and “Dhakar Shekor” at the Zahur Hossain Chowdhury Hall of the National Press Club. Speaking as chief guest, Abdus Salam, administrator of the Dhaka South City Corporation and a freedom fighter, said initiatives are underway to plant trees across vacant spaces, roadside areas, and road dividers in the city.  He urged nursery owners, entrepreneurs, and relevant stakeholders to come forward in support of the initiative. He stressed that protecting and greening the capital cannot be achieved by government efforts alone, calling for active participation from citizens in environmental protection and urban sustainability efforts. Salam also announced that the city corporation has designated every Saturday as “cleanliness day.”  He further informed that 10 individuals will be awarded annually in recognition of excellence in urban gardening and rooftop farming initiatives. Keynote speaker agricultural scientist and horticulture expert Dr. Md. Mehedi Masud said rising temperatures in Dhaka have made rooftop gardening, balcony gardening, and vertical greening no longer optional but essential for urban survival. He added that with proper scientific planning and structured horticulture projects, every building in Dhaka can be transformed into a source of oxygen and ecological balance. Speaking as a special guest, General Secretary of the National Press Club Ayub Bhuiyan said the media has always played a vital role in raising environmental awareness and can help extend the greening movement to every household. Trustee of “Dhakar Shekor,” Haji Motaleb Mashraki, emphasized the importance of social organizations in preserving Dhaka’s heritage, natural environment, and ecological balance. The seminar was chaired by editor of Greenwatch Dhaka, Mostafa Kamal Majumder, and moderated by its executive editor, Rafiqul Islam Azad. In his concluding remarks, Majumder said greening is not a luxury but a necessity for the city’s survival. He added that the initiative would continue beyond discussions through sustained programs, community engagement, and practical actions on the ground. During the open discussion, environmental activists, journalists, and civil society members urged immediate steps to address Dhaka’s environmental degradation, protect remaining open spaces, and implement large-scale planned tree plantation to restore urban livability. As part of the event, more than 50 rooftop gardeners were provided with saplings of different tree species by Dhakar Shekor. The chief guest formally handed over the saplings to the participants, marking a symbolic gesture of encouraging urban gardening across the city.

A professional mugger was caught red-handed by traffic police while attempting to flee after mugging a passenger’s mobile phone in the Pallabi area of the capital on Friday. The arrested mugger was identified as Md Manik, 29. The incident took place in the vicinity of Kalshi intersection. Two policemen stabbed by ‘muggers’ in Dhaka; two arrested Police Sergeant M S Mahmud Ali was performing his duty at the Kalshi intersection under the Traffic Pallabi Zone at the time of the incident. While checking documents of a microbus after signaling the vehicle to stop, the sergeant noticed a mugger attempting to flee after taking a mobile phone from a passenger inside the vehicle. The sergeant immediately chased the suspect and, after a brief pursuit, courageously managed to apprehend Manik on the spot. The snatched mobile phone was later recovered intact and returned to its rightful owner. The arrested mugger was handed over to Pallabi Police Station for further legal action.

Administrator of the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Abdus Salam on Wednesday said the existing household waste collection system may be abolished and replaced with a new mechanism next year if residents continue to be deprived of the expected level of service. "We have received various complaints regarding the ward-based tender system currently used for household waste collection. In some areas, waste is not being collected on time, while in others there are allegations of excessive charges. Whether the current system will continue next year is being seriously considered," he said. The DSCC administrator made the remarks while addressing a ceremony as chief guest at the Nagar Bhaban auditorium where special Eid grants from the Prime Minister were distributed among city corporation sanitation workers. A total of 4,950 sanitation workers each received Tk 5,000 as a special Eid assistance grant. In his speech, Salam described sanitation work as one of the most difficult and demanding services performed by city corporation employees. "If citizens remain conscious and sanitation workers continue their sincere efforts, it will be possible to transform the face of Dhaka within the next two years," he said, urging both sanitation workers and media professionals to play an active role in raising public awareness about cleanliness.  

A young man was killed in a road accident in the capital’s Jatrabari area on Monday night. The deceased was identified as Binod Biswas, 23, son of Narayan Biswas. Binod used to live with his family in Shantinagar area. He was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) in a critical condition around 10:45 pm, where the doctor on duty at the emergency department declared him dead, hospital sources said. Woman killed as truck hits her at Jatrabari His younger brother, Bidhan Biswas, said the accident occurred around 8:45 pm when Binod was riding a motorcycle in Shonir Akhra area of Jatrabari. Inspector Md Faruk, in-charge of the DMCH police camp, said the body has been kept at the hospital morgue .