United News of Bangladesh

The annual District Correspondents’ Conference of United News of Bangladesh (UNB) 2025 took place on Saturday at Cosmos Centre in Dhaka, focusing on neutrality in journalism and the evolving media landscape. Renowned photojournalist and educator Shahidul Alam inaugurated the daylong event with a session on photojournalism, emphasising accuracy, quality and creativity in capturing news images. Two-day fact-checking workshop concludes at UNB Alam, the founder of Drik Picture Library and Pathshala, also analysed photographs by both global and local photographers. UNB Emeritus Editor Enayetullah Khan underscored the agency’s steadfast commitment to neutrality, stating that despite transformations in Bangladesh's media landscape, UNB has remained unaffected. He highlighted that public trust in UNB is rooted in its dedication to factual reporting. UNB Executive Editor Nahar Khan welcomed the participants and discussed the evolving challenges and opportunities in journalism. She stressed the importance of integrity and innovation in the profession, citing examples of impactful reporting that prompted swift government action. The conference featured sessions on environmental reporting, fact-checking, media law and discussions with newsroom members and district correspondents. Among the notable speakers were Michael Kugelman, Director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center; media personality Afsan Chowdhury; WildTeam CEO Dr Anwarul Islam; Supreme Court lawyer Zahirul Islam Musa; Cosmos Goup DMD Masud J. Khan; UNB Advisory Editor Farid Hossain; Editor Mahfuzur Rahman; and Dhaka Courier Executive Editor Shayan S Khan. Two-day fact-checking training begins at UNB Three UNB district correspondents—Hossain Malik (Chuadanga), Sheikh Didarul Alam (Khulna), and Saiful Islam Shilpi (Chattogram)—were recognised for their outstanding performance in 2024. Around 100 journalists from across the country, including Dhaka, attended the event.

A webinar titled “Building on the outcomes of COP26: Priority Climate Actions Ahead of COP27” will be held on Friday highlighting the ground reality on the climate front and required efforts to mitigate the situation keeping in mind the climate vulnerability of Bangladesh. The webinar, to be hosted by United News of Bangladesh (UNB) in partnership with the British High Commission in Dhaka, will also discuss ways to strengthen the climate partnership between Bangladesh and the United Kingdom. The UK now holds the Presidency until COP27 later this year. Read: Women's participation in climate action: 'Gender equality prerequisite for sustainable tomorrow' Additional Secretary (Climate Change Wing) at the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Md Mizanul Haque Chowdhury, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Robert Chatterton Dickson, International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) Director Prof Dr Saleemul Huq, its Deputy Director Prof Dr Mizan R. Khan and Independent Consultant, Environment, Climate Change and Research Systems Dr Haseeb Md. Irfanullah will join as discussants at the webinar. United News of Bangladesh (UNB) Director Nahar Khan will  moderate the webinar which will be premiered on UNB Facebook page and its YouTube channel at 7:30pm on Friday. The UK hosted the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow on 31 October – 13 November 2021. The COP26 summit brought parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Read: Climate change to uproot millions, especially in Asia: UN As the Presidency of the COP, the UK says there is "crucial work" to be done as they spend the coming months working with governments and organisations to make sure they deliver on the Glasgow Climate Pact, turning momentum into action. The UK Presidency will do so by aiming for four goals - ensuring promises on emissions reductions are kept to keep 1.5 degrees alive; delivering for climate vulnerable countries by ensuring commitments on adaptation and loss and damage are honoured; getting finance flowing and working together and continuing to be an inclusive Presidency. The 27th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 27) to the UNFCCC will take place in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt in November this year. 

No one can be too healthy to beat the ruthless Delta variant of Covid-19 as it is killing the adults of all ages.  The latest victim in Bangladesh is 39-year-old Ariful Islam Dalim, a dashing journalist of Chuadanga district. Dalim, Chuadanga district correspondent of United News of Bangladesh (UNB), died of Covid-19 at Savar Enam Medical College and Hospital on Thursday. Read: Chuadanga cattle trader 'commits suicide' over Covid stigma Dalim, also the district correspondent of Jamuna Television and general secretary of Chuadanga Press Club, breathed his last around 2:40 pm at the hospital, said a source close to his family. The journalist tested positive for Covid-19 on July 13 and was admitted to Chuadanga Sadar Hospital on July 23. He was being brought to Dhaka from Chuadanga on Thursday morning for better treatment. As his condition deteriorated near Aminbazar in Savar, he was taken to Enam Medical College and Hospital where doctors declared him dead, the source added. A Facebook post from Dalim’s account yesterday said, “The condition of Dalim is critical. Arrangements are being made to take him to Dhaka. You all please pray for him…!”        Read: Sacrificial animals: Chuadanga goes online again Dalim left behind wife and two sons and a host of relatives and friends to mourn his premature death. The current Delta outbreak in Bangladesh and elsewhere in the world shows that young people are making up a greater proportion of patients being hospitalized compared to the previous waves of the deadly virus. The young people should not take the highly contagious Delta variant so lightly as there is no margin of errors. 

Bus, train, launch and air services remained suspended across the country as part of efforts to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the country. Flight operation on all international routes except China has also been halted.