United News of Bangladesh

Like previous years, bKash has rolled out a wide array of attractive discounts and cashback offers to make Eid-ul-Adha shopping more joyful and affordable. Customers can avail of over Tk 8,000 in discounts and cashbacks by making bKash payments for clothes, footwear, electronics, groceries, food delivery, ticketing, and hotel bookings etc. These offers will be available till 31 May 2026. Details of all offers can be found at this link: https://www.bkash.com/en/campaign/eid-ul-adha-shopping-with-bkash.  Here are some of the notable offers– Groceries: Customers can enjoy discounts or cashbacks by applying specific coupon codes when making bKash payments for their essential Eid groceries. This offer is available at leading superstores including Agora, Unimart, Meena Bazar, and Daily Shopping, as well as on various online platforms. Lifestyle Brands: Purchasing new clothes and preferred lifestyle products to celebrate Eid is now even more joyous. By using specific codes during bKash payments at renowned brand outlets, customers can avail themselves of various discounts and cashbacks. Details of these offers can be seen here: https://offer-finder.com/en/campaigns?category_slug=lifestyle. Home Decor & Electronics: To enhance the festive spirit, customers can enjoy cashbacks on furniture, home decor, and essential electronics when paying with bKash, adding more colour to their Eid celebrations. Ticketing and Hotel Booking: The joy of travelling home during the Eid holidays or taking a trip with family and friends can be multiplied with bKash payment. Users can avail of various offers on bus, train, and flight tickets, as well as hotel bookings, by using specific coupon codes while making bKash payments. Additionally, various discounts and cashbacks are available for online shopping and food orders at restaurants.

Bangladesh’s leading conglomerates, Abul Khair Group, has honored six exceptional individuals with the “M-Rise Hero” award for their relentless efforts in bringing positive change to society despite numerous challenges. The winners were honored at the grand “M-Rise Gala Night” held on Thursday at InterContinental Dhaka. The event featured documentary showcases based on the heroes’ lives, hero reveals, and cultural performances. Popular megastar Shakib Khan handed over the honorary crests to the winners, symbolically connecting reel-life heroism with real-life change makers. Sheikh Shabab Ahmed, Group Head of Corporate Affairs and Legal at Abul Khair Group, was also present at the event. In the inaugural edition of M-Rise, honors were awarded to Chattogram-based tech innovator Joy Barua Lablu, who has created affordable bionic hands and opened new possibilities for many people. Md. Rostom Ali from Cox’s Bazar was recognized for supporting neglected elderly people and orphaned children through the “Ma-Baba Foundation.” Animal welfare activist Md. Abdul Kaiyum from Dhaka was honored for his long-standing work in rescuing and treating stray animals. Additionally, Md. Rizwan from Chattogram received recognition for his “Education for One Taka” initiative, which supports underprivileged children with educational opportunities. Mariam from Cox’s Bazar was honored for empowering coastal women economically through seaweed farming. Meanwhile, Prosenjit Kumar Saha was recognized for his “Ucchash” initiative, which works on education, skill development, and health awareness. Some of the award recipients also shared their feelings and thanked Abul Khair Group for encouraging social initiatives through such a unique platform. Joy Barua Lablu said, “I have always believed technology should not only be about innovation, but also about making people’s lives easier and better. Seeing smiles on people’s faces is what inspires me to keep moving forward. I welcome initiatives like this.” Md. Rostom Ali, founder of Ma-Baba Foundation, said, “While working for neglected elderly people and orphaned children, I have always tried to priorities humanity. I thank Abul Khair Group for recognizing our work and inspiring positive social initiatives. I hope more people in the country will come forward to support humanitarian causes.” Expressing his feelings while handing over the awards, Shakib Khan said, “I am truly proud to honor these real-life heroes. The people who are silently working for society deserve this recognition. Their achievements are not only personal accomplishments, but also an inspiration for the entire nation. Platforms like M-Rise bring forward those individuals who create real change beyond the spotlight. I believe such initiatives will inspire younger generations to become more socially responsible and compassionate.” Expressing his enthusiasm for recognizing true heroes, Sheikh Shabab Ahmed, Group Head of Corporate Affairs and Legal at Abul Khair Group, said, “The journey of Abul Khair Group itself is an inspiring story. From humble beginnings, the organization has grown into one of the country’s leading conglomerates. Beyond business success, Abul Khair Group has always worked for the betterment of society and people. The M-Rise initiative was born from that very vision.” The organizers of the M-Rise platform also mentioned that this is not just an award programme, but a platform to spread the stories of individuals creating positive change across the country. They added that similar initiatives to highlight contributors to society will continue in the future. Alongside senior officials of Abul Khair Group, journalists and more than a hundred content creators attended the event.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has seized Indian goods worth around Tk 84 lakh in separate drives conducted in the border areas of Brahmanbaria and Cumilla districts. The operations were carried out on Tuesday by patrol teams of various border outposts (BOPs) under the Sultanpur Battalion (60 BGB). The drives were conducted in different border areas of Kasba upazila in Brahmanbaria, including Gosaisthal, Chandidar, Moinpur, Madla and Khadla, as well as in Shashidal, Shankuchail, Kharera and Borojwala areas of Brahmanpara, Burichang and Adarsha Sadar upazilas in Cumilla district. Indian national held in Jashore with Tk 1.93cr gold, foreign currencies During the operations, BGB teams recovered various Indian smuggled goods including sarees, cumin, akashmoni round timber, basmati rice, fuchka, shrimp fry, cattle and cannabis. The seized items will be handed over to the customs following legal procedures, said BGB sources. Lt Col SM Shariful Islam, commanding officer of Sultanpur Battalion, said the BGB remains committed to preventing smuggling and drug trafficking. He added that intelligence surveillance and operational activities along the border have been further strengthened.

bKash, the country’s most loved brand and the largest mobile financial service provider, has won three awards at the third edition of the Bangladesh Retail Awards (2026). Organised by the Bangladesh Retail Forum and the Bangladesh Brand Forum, these awards honour organisations and initiatives that have revolutionised the country’s retail industry in the digital era. In this edition, bKash has secured the ‘winner’ title in the categories of ‘Best Innovation in POP Merchandising’ for its ‘bKash Payment Speaker’ service and ‘Best Innovation in Retail Payment Solution’ for ‘bKash Salesforce App’. Additionally, the company received an ‘Honorable Mention’ for its ‘bKash NFC’ service in the ‘Best Use of Technology in Retail’ category. Senior officials from bKash received the awards on behalf of the company. The bKash Payment Speaker announces the transaction amount as soon as a payment is made at a merchant point, providing instant confirmation of a successful payment to both the customer and the merchant. This service has already received an overwhelming response. Furthermore, the bKash NFC service has made transactions even more seamless and quick by offering the convenience of instant contactless payments. In this year's event, 40 initiatives were declared winners and 24 received honorable mentions from among the top innovations in the country’s retail sector.

As part of a revenue-sharing arrangement, Nagad, one of the country’s leading mobile financial service providers, has disbursed BDT 13 crore 82 lakh 30 thousand 470 to the Bangladesh Post Office. This amount represents the Post Office’s share of revenue generated by Nagad from January 2024 to June 2025. The cheque was formally handed over on Tuesday at the Dak Bhaban in Agargaon in the capital by Nagad’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Afzal Ahmed, to Mr. Kazi Asadul Islam, Director General of the Department of Posts. Among others SM Haroonur Rashid, Additional Director General of the Department of Posts, Bangladesh Bank appointed associate administrator Md Nahim Uddin, Nagad’s Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Md. Samsul Islam, along with senior officials from Nagad Limited and the Department of Posts were also present at the event. According to the agreement with the Post Office, Nagad Limited bears all investments required for operating the business, including technological infrastructure and Department of Posts does not make any financial investment in service operations. However, it receives 51 percent of the revenue generated, while Nagad Limited retains the remaining 49 percent. Previously, since the launch of the service, Nagad has disbursed a total of BDT 14,60,94,660 to the Post Office as its share of revenue at different times. This includes a cheque of BDT 5,51,37,558 handed over in May 2024, BDT 4,50,46,647 in 2022, and BDT 1.12 crore in 2020. Following the cheque handover, Director General Kazi Asadul Islam expressed his gratitude to Nagad’s management. He stated that Nagad has successfully created significant competition in the sector, encouraging customers to adopt cashless transactions, which in turn is contributing to substantial growth in Bangladesh’s financial services sector. He said that Nagad is a service of the Postal Department. Together, the Postal Department and Nagad will take the platform even further ahead. Just as the Postal Department owns Nagad, the government also holds ownership. Currently, around BDT 13–14 crore is being received annually which could reach to BDT 100 crore and boost the government’s exchequer. Nagad Administrator Md. Motasem Billah remarked that the organization has played an outstanding role in financially including marginalised populations through technology. He added that Nagad has been instrumental in ensuring customer interests by fostering competition and innovation in the market, while also contributing significantly to government revenue every year. Since its launch in March 2019, Nagad has earned the confidence of the common users and has brought about a transformation in the country’s digital financial landscape by integrating underserved communities into the financial system. The platform now handles an average transaction volume of approximately BDT 15,000 crore a day. In addition to ensuring innovative services and the lowest cash-out charges, Nagad has brought unprecedented changes to the financial sector. The organization has played a key role in distributing funds under the government’s Family Card programme. It is also actively involved in disbursing stipends for primary and secondary education, grants from the Prime Minister’s Education Assistance Trust, and various government social safety net allowances with transparency and efficiency. In the future, Nagad is expected to play a significant role in distributing funds under initiatives such as the Farmer Card programme, allowances for imams and muezzins, and other government subsidies and grants.

WaterAid Bangladesh, supported by the Embassy of Sweden, has hosted a national workshop to mark the completion of the ‘WASH for Urban Poor (WASH4UP) Phase II’ project, highlighting achievements, lessons and future priorities for inclusive, climate-resilient water, sanitation and hygiene services. The workshop highlighted key achievements, lessons learned, challenges and stakeholder reflections from the project, which was implemented from April 2023 to March 2026. It also presented baseline and endline findings and discussed priorities for sustaining and scaling inclusive, climate-resilient water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services for the urban poor in Bangladesh. Speaking as the chief guest, Mohammad Saiful Islam Mazomder, Joint Secretary of the Policy Support Branch under the Local Government Division, said the issues raised at the event would be reflected in government policies and necessary steps would be taken to support their implementation. Special guest Nayoka Martinez-Bäckström, First Secretary (Environment and Climate) and Deputy Head of Development Cooperation at the Embassy of Sweden in Dhaka, said the partnership with WaterAid extends beyond the two phases of the programme and spans nearly two decades. She noted that globally, the collaboration focuses on ensuring accessible, quality and sustainable WASH services and emphasised that the sector is interconnected with multiple factors. Mohammad Mamun-Ul-Hasan, Chief Social Welfare and Slum Development Officer of Dhaka North City Corporation, stressed the importance of maintaining infrastructure alongside fulfilling responsibilities towards citizens. He expressed hope that WaterAid’s initiatives would continue to expand, said a press release. The event was chaired by Hasin Jahan, Country Director of WaterAid Bangladesh, who also delivered the vote of thanks. In her closing remarks, she said that inspired by WaterAid’s work, the Directorate of Education has taken various initiatives using its own funding to promote positive WASH behaviour among students. She also underlined the importance of coordinated research involving the Department of Public Health Engineering, WASA, city corporations and private institutions to support evidence-based decision-making. Around 120 participants, including policymakers, government officials, donor representatives, academics, think tanks, sector experts and NGO and INGO representatives, attended the workshop. Despite the perception that urban areas enjoy better WASH services, significant disparities persist among people living in slums and informal settlements. These communities remain highly vulnerable to waterborne diseases, poor sanitation and environmental hazards such as waterlogging and flooding. The WASH4UP Phase II project aimed to improve environmental health and resilience among these underserved populations. It was implemented in Dhaka North and South, Chattogram and Khulna city corporations, as well as in the municipalities of Paikgacha, Sakhipur and Saidpur.

As the holy month of Ramadan begins, people across Bangladesh are engaging in acts of charity with renewed dedication. While traditional in-person giving remains common, a rapidly growing number of donors are now opting for digital financial services to distribute their zakat and other forms of donations. Thanks to technological advancements, charitable organisations are reaching beneficiaries faster, more securely, and with greater transparency than ever before. bKash, the country’s leading mobile financial services, is playing a key role in expanding the proper distribution of donations and zakat. Through its platform, Zakat and donations can now be easily sent to more than 50 charitable and volunteer-based organisations working across the country, ensuring that financial assistance reaches thousands of vulnerable people in need. In addition, zakat and donations can also be sent through the merchant accounts of various organisations and institutions in the country. Although donations are made throughout the year, the volume of donations increases significantly through digital platforms during Ramadan. Customers can donate easily by clicking the ‘Donation' icon from the bKash app. Users can choose their preferred organisation can be selected from the list, provide their name, email, and contribution amount; and complete the process with just a few taps. If donors want to hide their identity, they can tick the ‘I don't want to share my identity’ option, and every transaction generates an instant acknowledgement receipt. Emran Hossain, a resident of Dhanmondi, Dhaka. Living a busy life in the city, distributing zakat every Ramadan has been a challenge for him. He said, “Living in Dhaka, it was always difficult to identify the right people to give zakat to. Because of my busy schedule, it became a burdensome task. But for the past two years, I have been able to send my zakat through bKash to my trusted organisations. It ensures the money reaches the right place without extra effort. Honestly, technology has made our lives easier.” Saira Rahman, who returned to Bangladesh after living abroad for many years, does not know many people in the country. She said, “It’s a relief. Last year, I was able to give my zakat and some donations very easily to my preferred organisations through bKash. This digital process has made donating extremely simple for me.” One of the organisations that receives donations and zakat through bKash is Obhizatrik Foundation, which supports disadvantaged children for education, runs community kitchens like Appayon, provides daily iftar during Ramadan, and uses zakat funds to empower people through sustainable initiatives. Executive Director of Obhizatrik Foundation, Ahmed Imtiaz Jami, said, “People can visit our office directly to donate if they wish. However, digital platforms have made fundraising much more dynamic. Now people from any part of the country are donating through our platform using bKash”. Organisations that receive donations through bKash: Anjuman Mufidul Islam, Bangladesh Thalassemia Foundation, Center for Zakat Management, Dhaka Ahsania Mission, Friendship, Armed Forces Division Relief Fund, BRAC, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, TMSS, As-Sunnah Foundation, Action Aid, Al-Markazul Islami, Chattogram Maa-O-Shishu Hospital, Food for All–Khukumoni Foundation, Islami Bank Foundation (Zakat), icddr,b, JAAGO Foundation, Liberation War Museum, Mastul Foundation, Bidyanondo Foundation, Mojar School, National Liver Foundation of Bangladesh, Obhizatrik Foundation, Prothom Alo Trust, Quantum Foundation, Sajida Foundation, Shakti Foundation, SOS Children’s Village Bangladesh, UNICEF, World Food Programme, July Shaheed Smriti Foundation- among many others. In addition to the bKash app, customers can visit this website https://www.bkash.com/en/products-services/donation to know details about donation.

NOVOAIR, one of Bangladesh’s leading private airlines, has entered its 14th year of operations on January 9, marking another milestone in its journey in the country’s aviation sector. To celebrate the occasion, the airline has launched a series of special initiatives beginning Thursday. As part of the anniversary celebrations, NOVOAIR announced a 14% discount on airfares for one month for its valued passengers. To enjoy the offer, tickets can be purchased from NOVOAIR sales centers, website and mobile apps. Passengers also can purchase tickets from the website and mobile apps using the promo code VQANNI14. Read More: Novoair stops flight operations due to financial crisis NOVOAIR commenced its journey on 9 January 2013 with its inaugural passenger flight on the Dhaka to Chattogram route. Within a short span of time, the airline has established itself as a trusted name in domestic air travel, earning passengers’ confidence through its commitment to service quality, punctuality, and safety. Over the past 13 years, NOVOAIR has operated more than 1 lakh 42 thousand flights and safely served over 8 million passengers. To enhance passenger convenience and deliver a more modern travel experience, NOVOAIR became the first airline in the country to introduce the “SMILES” Frequent Flyer Program, Co-branded cards, a dedicated mobile app for ticket purchases, and web check-in facilities. In addition, SMILES members enjoy exclusive discounts at renowned brand outlets and passenger enjoy special benefits under the Boarding Pass Privilege Program. Read More: NOVOAIR to resume flight operations from May 21 Extending greetings to the concerned authorities, business partners, and valued passengers on the occasion of the anniversary, NOVOAIR Managing Director Mr. Mofizur Rahman said, “We are committed to passengers’ expectations by ensuring on-time flight operations and safe travel. Overcoming various challenges, NOVOAIR has emerged as a trusted and reliable name in air travel. Looking ahead, our focus remains on further enhancing passenger services while expanding both domestic and international routes.” Currently, NOVOAIR operates daily flights from Dhaka to Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Sylhet, and Saidpur.

NOVOAIR, a leading airline of Bangladesh, has been awarded the prestigious “Excellence in Business–2025” at the Digital Excellence Award ceremony organised by Eastern Bank PLC (EBL). The award recognizes NOVOAIR's digital excellence and commitment to service quality, said a press release issued on Tuesday. The award ceremony was held on Sunday at a renowned convention center in the capital. Sohail Majid, Director (Marketing & Sales) of NOVOAIR received the awards from Ali Reza Iftekhar, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Eastern Bank PLC. Sohail Majid said, “This recognition will further inspire us in our journey ahead. NOVOAIR continues to prioritize modern technology and digital innovation to enhance passenger services. Our commitment to delivering improved service and ensuring customer satisfaction remains steadfast across all levels of our operations.” Currently, NOVOAIR operates daily flights from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar, Chattogram, Sylhet, and Saidpur.  

Metro Rail users now will be able to recharge their cards from the comfort of their home using Nagad wallet. The passengers can recharge their cards through the link available on the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) website. At present, two types of cards are used in the Metro Rail system – Rapid Pass and MRT Pass. Commuters can recharge both types of cards through Nagad, said media release on Monday  To recharge, passengers need to first visit the Rapid Pass website (www.rapidpass.com.bd) or app. If not registered on the Rapid Pass platform, they must complete the process with the required information. After that, they need to register their card by providing the card details. After registration, users must sign in. Once signed in, passengers can select their card and choose the desired recharge amount. In the payment method section, they will need to choose the mobile banking option and find the Nagad option. Then, they will enter their Nagad number and insert the OTP received via SMS. Once the password is provided, the recharge will be completed. For future recharges, Nagad users can save their wallet number, so they do not need to enter it every time. On completion of the online recharge, passengers must tap their card at the Add Value Machine (AVM) at respective stations to load the recharged balance. Once the recharge is successful, an SMS will be sent to the registered mobile number. A minimum of Tk 100 and a maximum of Tk 5,000 can be recharged at a time.