United News of Bangladesh

Motorbike accidents accounted for more than four out of every 10 road deaths in January, as road crashes across Bangladesh claimed 586 lives, according to a report released by Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity. Motorcycles were involved in 209 crashes, or 37.86 percent of all road accidents, resulting in 223 deaths and 132 injuries. Motorcycle crashes alone accounted for 40.84 percent of total road fatalities during the month, it said. The report signed by the organisation’s Secretary General Mozammel Haque Chowdhury was prepared based on monitoring of national, regional and online media outlets. Besides, 1,238 people were injured in 597 road, rail and waterway accidents across the country. Of the total accidents, 552 were road accidents that left 546 people dead and 1,204 injured. Railway-related accidents numbered 37, killing 33 people and injuring 28, while eight waterway accidents claimed seven lives, injured six people and left three missing. Dhaka division recorded the highest number of road accidents, with 132 crashes killing 133 people and injuring 328. Sylhet division had the lowest toll, reporting 29 accidents that left 28 people dead and 63 injured. Among those affected in road accidents were 131 drivers, 89 pedestrians, 53 transport workers, 79 students, nine teachers, 62 women and 67 children. Those killed included two police personnel, two army members, one navy member, four physicians, one freedom fighter, 127 drivers, 89 pedestrians, 54 women, 48 children, 57 students, 21 transport workers, eight teachers and 11 political activists. A total of 829 vehicles were involved in road crashes. Motorcycles made up 28.46 percent, followed by trucks, pickups, covered vans and lorries at 23.64 percent, buses at 14.35 percent, battery-run rickshaws and easy-bikes at 13.63 percent, CNG-run auto-rickshaws at 5.54 percent, locally made vehicles such as Nasimon, Karimon, Mahindra, tractors and legunas at 9.04 percent, and cars, jeeps and microbuses at 5.30 percent. In terms of crash patterns, 48.36 percent were run-over incidents, 28.62 percent head-on collisions, 16.84 percent involved vehicles plunging into ditches after losing control, 5.61 percent occurred for miscellaneous reasons, 0.18 percent were caused by scarves getting entangled in wheels and 0.36 percent were train-vehicle collisions. 503 killed in Bangladesh road accidents in December: RSF report The analysis shows that 42.57 percent of accidents occurred on national highways, 27.89 percent on regional highways and 24.09 percent on feeder roads. Another 4.52 percent took place in the Dhaka metropolitan area, 0.54 percent in the Chattogram metropolitan area and 0.36 percent at rail crossings. The organisation identified several key causes, including policy and strategic weaknesses in the road transport sector, unchecked movement of battery-run auto-rickshaws and other slow-moving vehicles on highways, inadequate road signs and markings, lack of medians and street lighting, construction flaws, unfit vehicles, unskilled drivers, overloading, reckless driving and operating vehicles without adequate rest. The Samity urged urgent and coordinated measures to strengthen road safety management and enforcement to curb the rising number of fatalities.

Padakhep School & College has observed Amar Ekushey and International Mother Language Day with a series of programmes. The institution organised different events on its campus highlighting innovation and humane education on Saturday, said a press release. As part of the observance, students read excerpts from a popular book on the historic February events written by Faridur Reza Sagar. Teachers, guardians and students placed floral wreaths at a makeshift Shaheed Minar built by children on the school premises to pay homage to the language martyrs. Education Adviser of the school Dr Md Rafiqul Islam said they would continue to uphold the spirit of the day and work for the nation’s progress in the future. The programmes also included an exhibition of wall paintings created by students using colourful brush strokes.

Members of the Rapid Action Battalion(RAB) have arrested the prime accused in a case over the killing of a Laguna driver in the capital’s Jatrabari area. The arrestee was Sohan Munshi, 29, son of Shahjahan Munshi, a resident of Baherchar village under Madaripur Sadar upazila in Madaripur district. According to Rab-10 sources, Sohan Munshi, along with several associates, attacked Laguna driver Md Nur-e-Alam Islam, also known as Khairul, 35, at a Laguna stand on the Jatrabari–Chattogram Road following a dispute over vehicle serial at 2:45pm on Friday. The injured driver was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors on duty declared him dead. Following the incident, a murder case was filed with Jatrabari Police Station on Saturday. A team of Rab-10, CPC-1, Jatrabari Camp conducted a special operation using modern information technology and arrested the accused from the Kutubkhali Fish Wholesale Market area under Jatrabari Police Station at around 7:30pm on Saturday, said Senior Assistant Superintendent of Police Tapash Kormokar, media officer of Rab-10. The arrestee was later handed over to the concerned police station for further legal proceedings.

A meeting on the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport was held on Sunday at the Secretariat. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman presided over the session, which took place at 12pm in the Prime Minister’s special conference room at the Cabinet Division, his Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon told UNB. Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam (Rita), State Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat and Principal Secretary ABM Abdus Sattar attended the meeting.

Three complaints have been filed with the Anti-Corruption Commission(ACC), seeking an investigation into alleged irregularities and corruption in leasing key terminals of the Chattogram Port to foreign companies under concession agreements. Md Al Amin Hossain, spokesperson of civil society organisation Deshpremik Nagorik Samaj and its co-spokesperson Mohammad Ibrahim Khalil Chowdhury submitted the complaints on Sunday. According to the complaints, several profitable terminals of the port were leased or planned to be leased to foreign companies through opaque processes involving non-disclosure agreements, raising concerns over transparency, abuse of power and possible commission-based dealings. They alleged that Chattogram Port Chairman SM Moniruzzaman, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Chairman Ashik Chowdhury, former chief adviser’s special envoy for international affairs Lutfe Siddiqi and former shipping adviser Sakhawat Hossain made hurried attempts to lease the New Mooring Container Terminal to UAE-based DP World under a concession deal. They also claimed that lobbying efforts to revive the move have recently resumed. The complaint said that on November 17, 2025, a 48-year concession agreement was signed with Denmark-based APM Terminals for Laldia Terminal. On the same day, a 22-year concession deal was signed with Switzerland-based Medlog SA for Pangaon Terminal in Keraniganj. The complainants alleged that the agreements were finalised with unusual speed and kept under non-disclosure agreements, raising questions about accountability and public disclosure. HC clears way for deal with foreign operator for New Mooring terminal They claimed that the absence of open international tenders and the handover of strategically important state assets to selected foreign firms have created strong suspicions of corruption and commission trading. If implemented, the New Mooring Terminal lease could involve transactions worth huge sums, potentially leading to large-scale commission payments, the complainants said Chattogram Port is the lifeline of the national economy and any secret deal or irregularity is unacceptable when national interest, economic security and sovereignty are at stake, they said. They urged the ACC to conduct an impartial and transparent investigation. They demanded a probe into alleged abuse of power, bribery and commission trading against the individuals concerned, scrutiny of domestic and overseas bank accounts and financial transactions if needed, and the imposition of travel bans during the investigation to prevent evidence tampering or attempts to flee. Deshpremik Nagorik Samaj expressed the hope that the Anti-Corruption Commission would take prompt and effective action to safeguard state assets.  

Saleem Samad, an award-winning investigative journalist, a writer and a media rights defender, died at his residence in the capital on Sunday. Saleem, also a member of the Jatiya Press Club, was Special Correspondent of English dailies The News Times, The Bangladesh Observer and The Asian Age. His first namaz-e-janaza will be held at the Jatiya Press Club around 2:30 pm while his second namaz-e-janaza will be held at 3 pm on Dhaka Reporters Unity premises. His articles appeared in TIME magazine, India Today and Outlook magazines in India and South Asia magazine published from Pakistan. He was a facilitator for capacity building courses for small-town journalists in Bangladesh on key social development issues. He conducted workshops on environment and development journalism for South Asian journalists in Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. He was former Media Specialist for US-based non-profit organisation Academy for Educational Development (AED), Environment & Social Development Organisation (ESDO), Bangladesh Centre for Development, Journalism and Communication (BCDJC), Bangladesh Human Rights Journalists Forum (BMSF), and Forum of Environmental Journalist, Bangladesh (FEJB).

The long-clogged Dadna canal in Daganbhuiyan has regained its natural flow after a clean-up drive removed years of accumulated waste and debris, ending more than two decades of stagnation. For over 20 years, the canal had remained blocked by piles of rubbish, preventing water from flowing. Nearly one-third of the canal had also been illegally occupied by an influential group. Although the upazila and municipal authorities cleared the encroachment earlier this year, the canal remained choked with garbage. Ahead of the recent election, Tajwar M Auwal, the youngest son of Forest, Environment and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo, took an initiative to clean the canal and requested a private organisation named ‘Footstep’ to carry out the work. Kushtia farmers upset over canal blockage, fear permanent waterlogging

BNP Standing Committee Member and former minister Selima Rahman remained under treatment at the Coronary Care Unit (CCU) of United Hospital in the capital with cardiac complications. She was taken to the hospital on February 19 after experiencing sudden chest pain, said BNP Media Cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan. He said Selima Rahman is currently under close medical observation. “She suddenly fell ill due to a heart-related problem and was admitted to United Hospital. She is now receiving treatment at the CCU,” Sayrul told UNB. He said her family members and party leaders have requested the country’s people to pray for her speedy recovery.

Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Dhaka Dr Abdullah ibn Dhafer ibn Ubayya paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Sunday. The meeting was held at 11am at the Cabinet Division of the Secretariat, said Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahaman Rumon. Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman and the Prime Minister’s Adviser Humayun Kabir were present at the meeting. Three services' chiefs meet PM Tarique Rahman Earlier in the morning, the Prime Minister arrived at the Cabinet Division at 9:05am, where Principal Secretary ABM Abdus Sattar received him.  

The low-pressure area over the Equatorial Indian Ocean and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal intensified into a well-marked low over Southeast Bay of Bengal and Equatorial Indian Ocean. It is likely to move west-northwestwards, said a Met office bulletin. Meanwhile the ridge of Sub-continental high extends up to Bihar and adjoining area. Weather may remain dry with temporary partly cloudy sky over the country. Night and day temperatures may remain nearly unchanged over the country.