United News of Bangladesh

Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of Inquilab Manch and an independent candidate in the Dhaka-8 constituency, suffered bullet injuries during an election campaign on Friday afternoon. He was shot by miscreants around 2:30 pm while campaigning, said Inspector Md. Faruk, in charge of the police camp at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH). Hadi was later taken to DMCH for treatment. Police, however, did not clarify where on his body he was shot.

Police have arrested a man in connection with the killing of a freedom fighter and his wife at their home in Taraganj upazila of Rangpur district. The 22-year-old accused Morsalin was arrested from Shermosto Balapara area of Alampur union around 1:45 am on Friday, Ruhul Amin, officer-in-charge (OC- investigation) of Taraganj Police Station. During the preliminary interrogation, the arrestee confessed to his involvement in the murder and provided important information, the OC claimed. However, the details are being withheld for the sake of the investigation. Abu Saiyum Talukder, investigation officer of the case, said Morsalin worked of setting up tiles at the couple’s house two days back the incident. “A drive will be conducted on Friday afternoon to recover the weapon used in the murder upon information gleaned from the arrestee,” he added. Earlier on Sunday, police recovered the bodies of freedom fighter Jogesh Chandra Roy, 75, a retired headmaster of a government primary school, and his wife Suborna Roy, 60, from their home in Khiarpara village of Kursha union. According to police, the couple was murdered around 1 am inside their residence. Following this, the victims’ eldest son, Shoven Chandra Roy, filed a murder case with the police station accusing some unidentified people. Morsalin was later shown arrested in the case.

Thirty-three people were arrested during a weeklong drive by the joint forces, including Bangladesh Army from Dhaka and parts of the country on various charges. According to a Facebook post shared by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on its verified page on Friday, the operations were carried out between December 4 and 11 by different infantry divisions and independent brigades of the army, in coordination with police and other agencies.  During the drives, the law enforcers recovered 10 illegal firearms, 12 rounds of ammunition, 12 crude bombs (cocktails), various types of narcotics, and both local and foreign sharp weapons. The detainees have been handed over to local police stations for further action. Such drives by the Bangladesh Army will continue across the country to ensure public safety, according the ISPR. In addition to ensuring law and order, the army is assisting authorities in maintaining stability in industrial areas amid labour unrest. The army urged the public to report to the nearest army camp if any suspicious activity is noticed.

A youth was killed and two others were injured when a speeding covered van rammed into them on way to a local market to buy fish after Fajr prayers in Faridganj upazila of Chandpur district Friday. The deceased was identified as Md Roman, 20, son of Jasim Jamadar of Purba Charkumaria village under Faridganj municipality. The injured are Bappi Haque, 18, son of Rafiqul Haque, and Md Sohag Mia, 17, son of Abdur Razzak, both from the same village. The accident occurred around 6:30am at Bhatiyalpur crossroads on the Chandpur–Faridganj–Raipur regional road. Locals said Roman and his companions set out on foot for Bhatiyalpur market after Fajr prayers at a local mosque. As they reached in front of Shital Patowary Bari near Bhatiyalpur, the covered van coming from behind hit them, leaving the trio injured. Locals rushed to the spot and took the trio to the upazila health complex where doctors declared Roman dead. The remaining duo was referred to Chandpur Sadar Hospital after giving first-aid. Enraged locals caught the vehicle’s driver Md Imran, 26, and his brother and helper Md Ikram, 23, and handed them over to police. The covered van was heading to Barishal via Chandpur after transporting goods to Chattogram. Officer-in-charge of Faridganj Police Station Md Helal Uddin said the vehicle along with its driver and helper was seized. Legal action is underway and the body was sent to Chandpur for autopsy, he added.

Two university students were killed early Friday when a Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) garbage truck rammed their motorcycle in the Konapara area of Demra. The deceased were identified as Iram Redwan, 25, a student of American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB), and Apu Ahmed, 25, a student of United International University (UIU). Victims’ classmate Tausif said Redwan and Apu were returning home from a wedding event around 4:30 am when the DNCC garbage truck hit their motorcycle, leaving them seriously injured. They were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), where doctors declared Apu dead first, followed shortly by Redwan, he added. Both students resided in the Chittagong Road area of Shanarpar. The City Corporation vehicle (registration Dhaka Metro Sha-140574) has been seized by police. Inspector Md. Faruk, in charge of the police camp at DMCH, said the bodies have been kept in the hospital morgue. The incident has been reported to the Demra police station.

Police on Thursday detained a man for tying a young man to a tree and beating him with a hammer on suspicion of theft. The detainee, Qurban Ali, is a motor mechanic from Biswanathpur in Dinajpur’s Sadar upazila. He works at a garage in the Kaliakoir area and had been living in a rented house owned by Alamgir Master. Khandaker Nasir Uddin, officer-in-charge (OC) of Kaliakoir Police Station, said the identity of the injured youth could not yet be confirmed. However, Qurban has been taken into custody over the incident. A video of the assault went viral on social media on Thursday morning, sparking widespread outrage.  Police later identified Qurban from the footage and detained him in the evening, the OC added.

The DORP Youth Forum has called for the swift passage of the proposed amendment to the Tobacco Control Law formulated by the Ministry of Health, emphasizing that this amendment is essential to protect public health. They stated that urgent action is needed to save the next generation from the devastating grip of tobacco. During a human chain organized by the DORP Youth Forum in Mirpur-10, Dhaka, the youth participants reiterated their demand for the immediate adoption of the amendment. Addressing the Chief Adviser, the youth advocates urged that the draft amendment should be given top priority and approved without further delay. Citing data from the Tobacco Atlas 2025, they noted that tobacco-related diseases claim approximately 130,000 lives annually in Bangladesh—an average of 357 deaths per day—while millions more suffer from various illnesses. The youth advocates also observed that, despite some recent initiatives by the government, Bangladesh still has the highest rate of tobacco use in South Asia. Adib, a student of Dhaka University, said that Bangladesh was the first country to sign the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). However, the latest WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic shows that Bangladesh has yet to achieve best-practice standards in ensuring smoke-free environments and banning tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship. He emphasized that the proposed amendment by the Ministry of Health would close existing loopholes in the current law, align national legislation with FCTC recommendations, and bring Bangladesh closer to global best practices in tobacco control. Saikat, a student of Jahangirnagar University, stated that tobacco companies primarily target young people, knowing that early addiction will secure long-term consumers. He explained that the industry constantly devises new tactics—after cigarettes and e-cigarettes, they are now aggressively pushing nicotine pouches through misleading messages and enticing promotions. During the human chain, youth advocates presented six key recommendations for strengthening the existing law. These include: eliminating designated smoking areas in all public places and transport; banning the display of tobacco products at points of sale; prohibiting corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities by tobacco companies; taking strong measures to protect children and youth from e-cigarettes; banning the sale of loose or single-stick tobacco products; and expanding graphic health warnings from 50 percent to 90 percent of packaging. Following the human chain, youth participants attended a workshop organized by DORP at UCEP Bangladesh.

The final list of candidates for the Shahjalal University Central Students’ Union (SUCSU) and hall union elections were published on Thursday. Chief Returning Officer Professor Dr. Abul Mukit Mohammad Moqaddes released the list on the SUCSU website. For the central union, 4 candidates are finalized for Vice President (VP): Delowar Hasan (Shishir), Muhyi Sharad, Mominur Rashid Shuvo, and Md. Mostakim Billah. 7 candidates are confirmed for General Secretary (GS): Md. Mujahidul Islam, Faisal Hossain, Maruf Billah, Junaid Ahmed, Md. Saifur Rahman, Md. Palash Bakhtiar, and Md. Junaid Hasan. The Election Commission also finalized candidates for other central posts, including 4 for Assistant General Secretary (AGS), 2 for Sports Secretary, 4 for Assistant Sports Secretary, 2 for Literature & Annual Secretary, 3 for Cultural Secretary, 2 for Liberation & Democratic Movement Secretary, 3 for Religion & Harmony Secretary, 3 for Social Welfare Secretary, 4 for Female Affairs Secretary, 4 for Health & Environment Secretary, 5 for Education, Research & Career Development Secretary, 5 for Information & Technology Secretary, 4 for International Affairs Secretary, 4 for Transport Secretary, 4 for Cafeteria & Canteen Secretary, and 5 for Law & Human Rights Secretary. A total of 28 candidates were finalized for general member positions. For the five residential halls, 11 candidates are confirmed for VP, 9 for GS, and 9 for AGS in each hall. After almost 28 years, elections will be held for 23 central union posts and nine posts in each of the six hall unions. Voting is scheduled for 20 January 2026.

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) has honoured three exceptional leaders and their initiatives with the Dr Andreas Schild Memorial Mountain Prize, recognising their innovation, impact, and dedication to the mountain cause. This annual award commemorates the legacy of former ICIMOD Director General Dr Andreas Schild, a tireless champion for the world’s mountains and the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region. His commitment continues to inspire those whose lives he touched during his long and distinguished career. The winners were selected by a fair and rigorous jury representing ICIMOD’s seven regional member countries, ensuring a transparent and inclusive selection process, officials said. Their groundbreaking initiatives are helping shape a more resilient, sustainable, and equitable future for the people and ecosystems of the Hindu Kush Himalaya. ICIMOD Director General Pema Gyamtsho presented the prizes at a ceremony held on Wednesday evening. Vice-Chancellor of Kathmandu University Prof Achyut Wagle, Programme Advisory Committee Chair Teresa Fogelberg, former ICIMOD DDG Dr Eklabya Sharma, and diplomats based in Kathmandu were also present. Bhutan’s glaciologist and Head of the Cryosphere Services Division at the National Centre for Hydrology and Meteorology (NCHM), Karma Toeb, was honoured for his pioneering work in reducing the risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). His leadership in the siphoning of Thorthormi Lake—one of Bhutan’s most dangerous glacial lakes—has significantly reduced the threat to downstream communities and critical infrastructure. Geley Norbu, Director General of the National Land Commission Secretariat, received the award for his leadership in advancing Bhutan’s rangeland reforms. His initiatives—particularly in digital mapping, securing land rights for marginalised herders, and building climate-resilient rangeland systems—have been recognised as transformative for highland communities. Xinquan Zhao, a conservation leader from China, was also awarded for exemplary work in rangeland reform, contributing to improved land stewardship and resilience in the region’s fragile mountain ecosystems. This recognition celebrates Zhao’s outstanding initiative, “Transformative changes in pastoralism: Solutions for promoting grassland restoration and livelihood improvement in the Sanjiangyuan region,” which stands as a model of systemic, transformative innovation in alpine sustainability. In 2022, the Mountain Prize was renamed the Dr Andreas Schild Memorial Mountain Prize in honour of the former ICIMOD Director General, a champion of the mountains of the world and the HKH region, whose lasting impact continues to be felt across the region.

A two-year-old boy, Sajid, who fell into an abandoned deep well in Tanore upazila, Rajshahi, has not survived the 32-hour ordeal, as the Fire Service mounted a painstaking operation to hopefully rescue him. He was retrieved in a lifeless state around 9pm on Thursday (December 11, 2025), and the hope was that doctors at the nearest hospital could revive him. Although Sajid was immediately taken to the Tanore Upazila Health Complex for medical examination, doctors there declared him dead. Lt. Colonel Tajul Islam Chowdhury, Director of Operations at the Fire Service and Civil Defence, said that Sajid was found unconscious upon rescue, prompting his transfer to the hospital for urgent medical care. Despite efforts to revive him, doctors confirmed his death after thorough examination. Read more: Rajshahi rescue teams race to save toddler Sajid from deep tube-well It all started around 1:00 pm on Wednesday when Sajid fell approximately 30–35 feet into the open mouth of a well in Koelhat village while walking behind his mother, Runa Khatun, who was holding his elder sibling. Rescue operations began at 1:45 pm after locals alerted the Fire Service. Sajid’s mother described the frightening moment: “Suddenly, Sajid called out ‘Ma, Ma.’ When I turned, I saw him fall into a hole covered with straw. He slipped further down before anyone could reach him.” Rescue teams worked tirelessly through the night and following day, carefully excavating the well and supplying oxygen to keep the child alive. Authorities and locals monitored the operation, which concluded successfully late Thursday evening. Read more: Two-year-old child trapped in deep well in Rajshahi not rescued after 10 hours The boy is now receiving medical care, and officials said his condition will be closely observed.