United News of Bangladesh

Expressing deep sorrow, BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has said he is heartbroken over the killing of six Bangladeshi peacekeepers in a terrorist attack on a United Nations peacekeeping base in the Abyei area of Sudan “I am deeply saddened and heartbroken by the news that six brave Bangladeshi peacekeepers were killed, and eight others, including three female soldiers were injured in a brutal terrorist attack on a United Nations peacekeeping base in the Abyei area of Sudan,” he said in post on his verified Facebook page early Sunday. Tarique said brave Bangladeshi soldiers, who laid down their lives while serving under the UN flag to protect world peace, are a source of great pride for the nation. “Their sacrifice will always be remembered by Bangladesh. I pray for the forgiveness of the souls of the fallen peacekeepers and express my deepest sympathy to their grieving families,” he said. The BNP leader wished a speedy recovery of the injured soldiers and called upon all concerned to stand by them during this difficult time. As the son of a decorated army officer, Tarique said he has always been passionately inspired by the exceptional professionalism, courage and sacrifice of the Bangladesh Army. “In the current situation, I believe the international community must take stronger and more effective steps to ensure the safety of peacekeepers. May Allah accept our brave soldiers as martyrs and grant the injured a swift recovery,” he said.

Bangladesh on Saturday strongly condemned the attack on the Bangladeshi peacekeepers who were serving under the UN peacekeeping mission in Sudan. Six Bangladeshi peacekeepers have died and eight were injured when a drone attack was carried out on a United Nations base in Abyei, Sudan. The government through its Permanent Mission to the UN in New York requested the UN to ensure the best possible treatment for the injured peacekeepers, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Bangladesh Mission in New York is in close touch with the UN and working together to extend all support to the Bangladeshi peacekeeping contingent there. Bangladesh mourns the death of her valiant sons and expresses deep condolences to the bereaved families. At the same breath, the government and people of Bangladesh send prayers for the healing and early recovery of those wounded.

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Saturday strongly condemned terrorist attacks on UN peacekeepers, saying such acts are serious crimes against international peace and humanity. In a statement, Prof Yunus expressed deep shock and sorrow over the deaths and injuries of Bangladesh Army peacekeepers in a drone attack by terrorists on a UN peacekeeping base in the Abyei area of Sudan. "I am deeply saddened by the martyrdom of six of our brave peacekeepers and the injury of eight others while they were performing the noble duty of maintaining peace and stability," he said. "Bangladesh's contribution to UN peacekeeping missions is well recognised worldwide. This sacrifice is both a matter of national pride and deep grief. He prayed for the departed peacekeepers and conveyed his heartfelt condolences to their bereaved families. He also wished a speedy recovery for the injured The Chief Adviser said the government has already requested the United Nations to ensure the highest level of medical treatment and necessary support for the injured peacekeepers. "The government will stand by the families of the peacekeepers during this difficult time," he added Prof Yunus also urged the UN and the international community to take effective steps to strengthen the security of peacekeepers. Bangladesh government will continue close communication with the UN to ensure the quick return of the bodies of the peacekeepers and proper treatment for the injured, read the statement.  

Six Bangladeshi UN peacekeepers were killed and eight others injured when terrorists attacked a United Nations base in Sudan's Abyei,  Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Saturday (December 13, 2025). ISPR said the attack took place amid ongoing fighting in the area, adding that the war is still continuing. Read more: Dhaka requests UN to ensure best possible treatment for injured peacekeepers The military’s media wing did not provide further details about the circumstances of the attack or the condition of the injured peacekeepers.

Ambassador and Head of Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh Michael Miller on Friday visited the outdoor photo exhibition “From Shadows to Leadership” at Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed Park, highlighting the critical role of women workers in Bangladesh’s informal economy and the power of collective action in advancing rights, dignity, and leadership. Organised by Oxfam in Bangladesh, the three-day exhibition brought women’s voices into a public space through photographs and stories that document journeys from invisibility to leadership. During his visit, Ambassador Miller was given a guided tour of the exhibition, along with representatives from development partners, NGOs, civil society organisations, and other relevant stakeholders. Reflecting on the exhibition, Ambassador Miller said the exhibition demonstrates how storytelling and civic engagement can strengthen democratic spaces. "It brings the stories of women, determination, and change into a public, accessible space," Miller said. He emphasised that the exhibition went beyond visual documentation. “What we see here are not just photographs, but visible proof that when advocacy, skills training, leadership development, and strong civil society partnerships come together, women working in an informal and invisible economy can change their realities.” From Shadows to Leadership features ten stories of women from across Bangladesh’s informal economy, including domestic workers, tea-garden workers, home-based garment workers, and women from the floating Manta fishing community. Captured across rivers, tea estates, coastal belts, and urban settlements, the photographs trace how women organise, negotiate wages, secure identification documents, form collectives, and engage with policy processes to claim recognition and rights. For Panna, a domestic worker from Narayanganj whose story is featured in the exhibition, the change has been transformative. “Before, we did not even know what our entitlements were,” she said. "Now we understand our rights—our wages, our leave, and our dignity—and we can speak directly with employers and communities." Ashish Damle, Country Director of Oxfam in Bangladesh, said, “Every smile we see here is not just a moment of joy—it is a smile of empowerment, confidence, and hope, reflecting a transformative change that goes beyond individuals and begins to reshape society itself.” Women workers demand rights and recognition as inequalities laid bare at EU-Oxfam event He stressed the need for long-term commitment. “This partnership is only the beginning. Real empowerment requires time, sustained support, and collective strength so that, in the years ahead, these women emerge as leaders in their own right,” Damle added. Sumaiya Islam, Executive Director of BNSK, said, “This work is exceptional because it is built by workers identifying their challenges, supporting one another, and proving that collective effort can create real and meaningful change.” Laila Jesmin Banu, Programme Manager, Governance and Human Rights, European Union to Bangladesh, Md Sariful Islam, Head of Influencing, Communications, Advocacy and Media, Oxfam in Bangladesh and Shahajadi Begum, Programme Coordinator, Oxfam in Bangladesh also joined the occasion. The exhibition is part of the Empowering Women through Civil Society Actors (EWCSA) project, funded by the European Union and implemented by Oxfam Bangladesh with 33 civil society organisations across 19 districts. The initiative has directly supported more than 45,000 women who work in some of the most insecure segments of the labour market.  

Bangladesh has condemned the recent bombing of a hospital in Rakhine and expressed concern with the recent increase of violation of international humanitarian law and violence in the Rakhine State. Dhaka conveyed its condolences to the families of the deceased and sympathy for those affected, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday. Bangladesh underscored the importance of protecting civilians and civilian facilities without distinctions, and emphasised that all communities, including Rohingya and Rakhine, should be spared from violence.   Read More: Devise roadmap for Rohingya repatriation, act together to stabilise Rakhine: Prof Yunus  

The US Embassy in Dhaka in partnership with the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and the Ministry of Law launched the 'Money Laundering Bench Book' on Saturday. Developed with support from the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT), this resource offers practical guidance for judges, prosecutors, and investigators handling money laundering cases, said U.S. Mission Spokesperson Poornima Rai. The Bench Book, she said, strengthens judicial capacity and promotes effective use of anti-money laundering frameworks, helping protect financial sector integrity and supporting stable investment and economic growth.    

The beginning of scientific exhumations and forensic analysis of 114 unidentified bodies of people killed during the July 2024 protests in Bangladesh is a fundamental step towards helping families of the missing fulfil their rights to truth, justice and accountability, a UN expert said on Friday. “This is the first large-scale forensic recovery, analysis and identification operation carried out in Bangladesh on the basis of international human rights and forensic standards,” said Morris Tidball-Binz, UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, in a statement issued from Geneva. The forensic examination of the bodies is being conducted on site in a temporary mortuary installed by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), in line with international forensic and human rights standards. The process is expected to take several days and will include DNA analysis to support the scientific identification of the deceased. In July 2025, Tidball-Binz, who is a forensic doctor, was in Dhaka, with the support of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), to provide technical advice on forensic investigations to the authorities, including the CID and medico-legal services. On that occasion, the Special Rapporteur’s technical assistance was welcomed and used to help plan and prepare the large-scale recovery, documentation and identification of victims of the 2024 events, in line with international standards, in particular the Minnesota Protocol on the Investigation of Potentially Unlawful Death. As a result, on December 1 this year, a member of the Forensic Advisory Group - convened by the Special Rapporteur - travelled to Bangladesh at OHCHR’s invitation to support the final preparations and implementation of the exhumations, which began on December 7. Commemorating July Uprising: ‘Mukti Toron’ and ‘Swadhinota Toron’ unveiled in DNCC The bodies are reported to correspond to people killed during the 2024 uprising, who were recovered from the streets of Dhaka and buried at Rayerbazar cemetery by the Muslim charity Anjuman Mufidul Islam. Although efforts were made at the time to ensure respect for the dead and protect their dignity, identification was not possible. “In addition to helping to respond to victims’ and families’ needs for truth, justice and accountability, this investigation is a unique opportunity to strengthen the country’s medico-legal and forensic capacity in line with standards such as the Minnesota Protocol – as Bangladesh both needs and deserves,” Tidball-Binz said.  

Appreciating the SANDEE's impactful 25 years journey, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) Director General Pema Gyamtsho on Friday laid emphasis on continued joint efforts in the region to understand and respond to the nexus of poverty, development and environmental sustainability in South Asia. “The South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics (SANDEE) has grown into a vibrant, indispensable community,” said Pema Gyamtsho as SANDEE marked its 25th anniversary with a high-level three-day international conference that began at Himalaya Hotel on Friday. The conference brought together experts and global thought leaders, including from Bangladesh, on the economic challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainable development in one of the planet’s most critical regions – the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH). The network’s legacy of building regional research capacity and policy impact is being celebrated as top global economists are charting path for the Hindu Kush Himalaya’s future. “Its work has fundamentally advanced how we understand and respond to the nexus of poverty, development, and environmental sustainability in South Asia. This foundation is non-negotiable for our future," said the ICIMOD DG.

A UN expert on Friday urged the United Kingdom to help mobilise international opposition to the Myanmar military junta’s claim that the election that it will stage later this month is legitimate, while taking other measures to strengthen its support of human rights in Myanmar. “I am heartened by the United Kingdom’s rejection of the junta’s election scheme,” said Tom Andrews, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, in a statement at the end of his visit to the UK. “I urge the UK Government to proactively reach out to other Governments, especially those in Asia, to ensure they do the same. A strong, coordinated rejection of these sham elections is essential to deny the junta the means to fabricate credibility and legitimacy,” he said. Andrews urged the UK Government to take stronger measures to address a deepening human rights crisis in Myanmar. “While the military continues to escalate its attacks on civilian targets, there have been no new targeted UK sanctions issued against the junta since October 2024 and protection pathways for desperate Myanmar people appear to be narrowing under newly announced policies,” he said. The Special Rapporteur noted that the UK’s Human Rights and Democracy Annual Report has not been published since July 2023, leaving a noticeable gap in the articulation of the UK Government’s position and perspective on deteriorating human rights conditions, including those in Myanmar. “I am also concerned that the Security Council’s engagement on the crisis in Myanmar has fallen short,” the expert said. “As Security Council penholder on Myanmar, I urge the UK Government to increase the visibility of the crisis while demanding junta accountability.” “The UK could, for example, move to convene a public session on the junta’s failure to implement provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice in the Rohingya genocide case,” Andrews said. “A stronger human rights lens should be integrated into Security Council engagement.” The Special Rapporteur expressed his horror at the bombing of Mrauk-U General Hospital in western Rakhine State on Human Rights Day, which reportedly killed at least 30 people and injured more than 60. “This attack, carried out on a day when we reaffirm our commitment to human rights, illustrates and underscores the junta’s complete disregard for civilian lives and blatant violation of international humanitarian and human rights law,” he said. “The United Kingdom is in a unique position to help drive a strong international response, drawing on its leadership role as penholder on Myanmar at the UN Security Council, as a country that has helped restrict the junta’s access to weapons and financing through sanctions, and as a major humanitarian donor,” Andrews said. “The people of Myanmar have shown extraordinary courage. They deserve an international response that matches their determination,” the Special Rapporteur said. “The United Kingdom can play a decisive role — and now is the moment to act.”