United News of Bangladesh

The Election Commission will sit with the BNP, Jamaat e Islami, NCP and ten other political parties Wednesday, as part of its ongoing pre-election dialogue ahead of next year's 13th parliamentary elections. The Commission will exchange views with seven parties in the morning session and with six other parties in the afternoon session on November 19, said EC’s (Public Relation) Assistant Director Asadul Haque. The seven parties invited for the morning discussion are Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islam, National Citizen Party-NCP, Ganosamhati Andolan, Nationalist Democratic Movement-NDM, Bangladesh Labour Party, Bangladesh Minority Janata Party-BMJP and Insaniat Biplab Bangladesh. The six political parties for the afternoon discussion are Bangladesh Nationalist Party-BNP, Bangladesh Jatiya Party-BJP (Andaleev), Gonaodhikar Parishad, Nagorik Oikya, Bangladesh Republican Party-BRP and Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal-Basod Marxist. The Election Commission opened its pre-election dialogue with registered political parties on November 13 last and had already held talks with 34 parties. Currently, there are 55 registered political parties, excluding the Awami League, whose registration remains suspended. The ongoing dialogue is considered as the last major task before the announcement of the national election schedule in early December. In late September 2025, the Commission opened a series of electoral dialogues with different stakeholders amid talks with civil society representatives on September 28. Later, the EC held separate dialogues with the representatives of teachers, senior journalists from different media outlets, election experts and election observers.    

Bio-Xin Cosmeceuticals is set to open a new branch in Savar on Saturday, expanding its skincare and haircare services for local residents. The company said the outlet will be its 18th branch in the country. It will open on the ground floor of MK Tower in Jaleshwar, Shimultala. A special event has been planned for the inauguration. To mark the launch, customers will get discounts of up to 70 percent on different treatments and products. Residents welcomed the move. Jahangirnagar University student Saima Khatun said many people had to travel to Mirpur for quality care. “Now we can get proper consultation and services close to home. It will help many of us who had problems with time, distance or safety,” she said. The new branch will offer Bio-Xin’s in-house brand BioCare, with skincare items made from natural ingredients, along with beauty supplements and lifestyle products. It will also stock authentic dermo-cosmetics from selected European brands. According to the company, experienced doctors and nutritionists will be available to give personalised advice and treatment based on individual skin needs. Bio-Xin Cosmeceuticals said the Savar outlet marks another step in its plan to make advanced aesthetic care more accessible across Bangladesh.    

Shared Horizons, a day-long international watercolour exhibition celebrating 50 years of Bangladesh-China diplomatic relations, opened on Tuesday at the Garden Gallery Cosmos in the capital’s Baridhara area. Eminent artist Professor Emeritus Rafiqun Nabi inaugurated the exhibition as the Guest of Honour. Organised by Gallery Cosmos, the exhibition features 28 curated works by two distinguished artists — Ma Baiqi, Master Watercolour Artist from China; and Mong Mong Sho, lecturer at Yunnan Arts University and PhD candidate at the China Academy of Art. Their works explore cultural harmony and shared artistic expression through contemporary watercolour practices. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Member of the BNP Standing Committee, said art remains one of the most effective bridges between nations. “The simplest and easiest path to diplomacy is art and culture. Music, dance, painting — these transcend borders and communicate without language. This is how we build peace,” he said. Li Shaopeng, Cultural Counsellor of the Embassy of China in Dhaka, described the event as a testament to profound people-to-people ties. “It is a pleasure to join this important event. This year marks the 50th anniversary of our diplomatic relations, and next year will mark the 10th anniversary of Bangladesh joining the Belt and Road Initiative. Culture will endure far beyond commerce, and through these beautiful paintings we understand each other deeply,” he said. He added that more collaborative art programmes are planned in the coming year, including exchange exhibitions between Bangladeshi and Chinese artists. Enayetullah Khan, Editor-in-Chief of UNB and founder of the Bangladesh Centre for China Studies, said the exhibition carries special significance in the history of bilateral relations as the occasion was a meaningful celebration of the 50 years of Bangladesh-China friendship. “This is a very special evening,” he said. “Cosmos Foundation has long been engaged in fostering cultural ties, and as the founder of the Bangladesh Centre for China Studies, my connection with China runs deep. We are honoured to host Ma Baiqi, a master watercolourist, as the resident artist of Gallery Cosmos. I hope our bonding will grow stronger and that more of his colleagues will join future exchanges.” Chairman of Gallery Cosmos and Cosmos Atelier 71 Khan also thanked Mong Mong Sho, describing him as a Bangladeshi-Chinese artist contributing significantly to bilateral cultural understanding. “At the people-to-people level, our relations are already strong,” he said, acknowledging guests who have been instrumental in advancing Bangladesh-China ties. He praised the Gallery Cosmos team for their dedication. “They have been working day and night with joy,” he said. “Painting is a therapy. During the two years of the pandemic, looking at the artworks around me gave me solace when the world was gripped by uncertainty.” Khan described artists as “the biggest and best peacemakers,” quietly building bridges between nations. “We are fortunate to have Professor Emeritus Rafiqun Nabi, an artist of global stature, inaugurating the event,” he added.      

Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) on Tuesday expressed deep concern over a cybercrime case filed against NTV Joint News Editor Mujtaba Khandakar and called for its immediate withdrawal. In a joint statement, BFUJ acting President Obaidur Rahman Shahin, General Secretary Kader Gani Chowdhury, and DUJ President Md Shahidul Islam and general secretary Khurshid Alam expressed their worry over the matter. The case was lodged on November 3 at Shahbagh Police Station by Dhaka University teacher Shehherin Amin Bhuiyan. She alleged that Khandakar had posted an edited obscene photo of her on Facebook with offensive and defamatory comments, causing her mental distress. Responding to the allegations, Khandakar said his personal Facebook account was hacked on October 30 around 6:00 pm, resulting in an automatic log-out. He lost control over the account for five to six hours. With the assistance of a US-based IT expert, he regained access later that night. He said he had no knowledge of any posts made from his account during the period it was compromised. Khandakar filed a general diary at Tejgaon Police Station on November 6. BFUJ and DUJ leaders said cyber attacks and harassment of journalists are increasing, often without proper investigation. They urged law enforcement agencies to verify such incidents before taking legal action. The journalist unions demanded the immediate withdrawal of the case against Mujtaba Khandakar.    

Miscreants set fire to Grameen Bank branch in Mohammadpur upazila of Magura district early Tuesday. Station Master Billal Mridha of Mohammadpur Fire Service said the fire broke out around 3:30 am. Later , firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control. Sohana Sultana, Manager of the branch, said the miscreants poured petrol through a window before igniting the fire. “Some essential papers and office furniture were destroyed,” she said, adding that and further measures would be taken as per directives from senior officials. Officer-in-charge Abdur Rahman of Mohammadpur Police Station said a police team visited the spot and legal action would be taken.  

A fire broke out at a rickshaw garage adjacent to the 300-feet road by Koratoli Bazar of Dhaka on Tuesday night. According to the Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) control room, the blaze started around 7:38 pm. Rafi Al Faruk, duty officer at the FSCD control room, said on information four firefighting units from nearby stations rushed to the spot and were trying to bring the flame under control. The cause of the fire and any casualties are yet to be known immediately, he added.

The Bangladesh Bank has announced a price readjustment for its commemorative gold and silver coins, citing a rise in the international and local market prices of gold and silver.  The central bank confirmed the decision in a press release issued by its Department of Communications and Publications on Tuesday.  The new selling price for the commemorative gold coin (including the box) has been set at Tk 1,85,000. Previously, these coins were sold for Tk 1,70,000. The prices of silver coins have been hiked to Tk 14,000 each from Tk 8,500.  The central bank stated that the prices of the commemorative coins were adjusted due to the surge in both international and local bullion markets. The new prices will be effective from November 17, 2025.  The Bangladesh Bank specifically requested media outlets to disseminate this information for the national interest. Current Gold Market Prices  The announcement comes amidst high prices in the domestic market for standard 22-Karat gold. Currently, the local market prices per bhori (11.664 grams) was fixed at Tk 208 272. The 22-karat silver was sold at Tk2099 per bhori.

Union Bank PLC, a listed entity reportedly affected by financial irregularities linked to the S. Alam Group, recorded a staggering per-share loss of nearly Tk 249 in 2024. The summary of the bank’s audited financial report for 2024 was published on Tuesday through the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE). This massive loss translates to a net deficit of approximately Tk 26,000 crore, according to the audited financial statements. The figure represents an 88-fold increase in the bank’s net loss compared to the previous year, when it reported a net loss of over Tk 292 crore. A review of the published summary highlights the severity of the bank’s financial condition. In response to the crisis affecting Union Bank and four other distressed lenders, Bangladesh Bank (BB) has decided to merge five Islamic banks into a single entity, to be named the ‘Combined Islamic Bank’. Islami Bank customers organise human chain against S. Alam era appointees The five banks involved in the merger are: ·         Union Bank ·         First Security Islami Bank ·         Social Islami Bank (SIBL) ·         EXIM Bank ·         Global Islami Bank According to information from Bangladesh Bank, the 'Combined Islamic Bank' will have a total capital base of Tk 35,000 crore. The government will provide Tk 20,000 crore of this capital, while the remaining Tk 15,000 crore will be raised by converting depositors’ funds into shares of the new bank. The central bank has appointed Nazma Mobarek, Secretary of the Financial Institutions Division, as chairperson of the newly-merged entity.

Miscreants set fire to Grameen Bank office  in Mohammadpur upazila of Magura district early Tuesday. Station Master Billal Mridha of Mohammadpur Fire Service said the fire broke out around 3:30 am. Later, firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control. Sohana Sultana, Manager of the branch, said the miscreants poured petrol through a window before igniting the fire. Petrol bombs hurled at Gazipur Grameen Bank branch “Some essential papers and office furniture were destroyed,” she said, adding that and further measures would be taken as per directives from senior officials. Officer-in-charge Abdur Rahman of Mohammadpur Police Station said a police team visited the spot and legal action would be taken.

The Election Commission on Tuesday published the final electoral rolls showing that the total number of the country’s voters is nearly 12.77 crores ahead of the next national election to be held in early February 2026. “At the cut-off date of October 31 this year, all who turned 18 have been included in the final voter list. The total number of voters stands at 127,695,183,” EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed told a press briefing at Nirbachan Bhaban. The EC Secretary said the newly published final rolls also include those who reached the age of 18 by October 31, 2025, making them eligible to vote for the first time in the upcoming national election. He said the final electoral rolls include 64,814,907 male voters, 62,879,042 female voters, and 1,234 third-gender voters. Since the beginning of the voter list updating process on March 2 this year, the growth rate of male voters has been 2.29 percent, while the number of female voters has increased by 4.16 percent, Akhtar Ahmed added. Record number of first-time voters to vote, AL can’t participate: Prof Yunus Earlier, on November 3, the Commission released the draft updated voter lists and invited objections over the draft lists before finalisation. According to the draft lists, the number of registered voters in Bangladesh is approximately 12.76 crore (exactly 127,612,384). Of them, 64,760,382 are male, 62,850,772 are female and 1,230 are from the third gender voters. The youths who turned 18 years by October 31, 2025 were eligible to be included in the electoral rolls, enabling them to vote in the next general election. The Election Commission updated the voter lists for the third time within the current year – the first one is on March 2, 2025, the second one is on August 31, 2025 and the third one is on November 18, 2025. During the last 12th parliamentary election held on January 7, 2024, the total number of voters was around 119.69 million throughout the country.