DHAKA: Air pollution shortens the average Bangladeshi’s life by 5.5 years, making it the world’s most affected country, latest data shows, as the government vows to act by the year’s end.

According to last week’s Air Quality Life Index report by the University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute, “air pollution is the greatest external threat to life expectancy” in Bangladesh, which is currently “the world’s most polluted country.”

All of Bangladesh’s 166.8 million people live in areas where the yearly average level of fine particulate pollution exceeds both the World Health Organization’s guideline of 5 micrograms per cubic meter of air and the country’s national limit of 35 micrograms. In places like the capital, Dhaka, the concentration was above 76 micrograms.

“The average Bangladeshi resident could live 5.5 years longer if particulate pollution met the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline,” the report says. In Dhaka, the impact of toxic air is particularly severe, slashing the average life expectancy by 6.9 years.

The report also shows that the air quality is quickly worsening despite the government’s attempts to address the problem.

“It’s very concerning for us. I doubt if there are any other countries in the world that witnessed such a grave situation,” said Dr. Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder, professor at the Department of Environmental Science at Stamford University in Dhaka.

“Air pollution has reached such a severe level here that no research is needed to identify it, as one can see it with the naked eye.”

Smog is an everyday reality for residents of Bangladeshi cities, as it shrouds them almost every morning. But what is more dangerous is the pollution that the eye cannot see: particulate matter, PM2.5 — tiny airborne particles less than 2.5 micrometers wide that can penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream.

PM2.5 levels in Bangladesh have been on a sharp rise since the late 1990s. The only time they dropped was during the coronavirus pandemic in 2022, but that trend did not last.

“In last year’s AQLI report, our average life expectancy was reduced by 4.8 years, and this year it’s reported as 5.5 years,” Majumder said.

“The situation is very alarming. It shows that the state has failed to ensure a safe environment for the protection of its people. Bangladesh didn’t reject this report, which means the Bangladeshi government also agrees with the findings of this report. The state can’t evade the responsibility here.”

As the main sources of pollution, he listed increasing use of fossil fuels and fumes from brick kilns, which burn coal or wood to fire bricks.

“Every year, an additional 100,000 vehicles hit the streets of Dhaka. Many of these vehicles operate without proper fitness checks, contributing significantly to air pollution,” he said.

“Transboundary air pollution from neighboring countries is also affecting us. The lack of proper waste management, including open burning, is also a big factor.”

In response to the latest air pollution report, the government vows to step up its efforts by the year’s end, although the task is not easy, with Dr. Ziaul Huq, director of air quality management at the Department of Environment, admitting that “every source of air pollution” exists in Bangladesh’s environment.

“We are trying to withdraw the vehicles without fitness checks from the streets, but we are yet to see any success in this sector,” he told the News.

“Big industries that are responsible for air pollution, we will bring them under constant monitoring. A device will be installed at their factory furnace, and our officials will continuously monitor the emission results centrally. If any deviation is found, we will intervene immediately. This work will begin within the next two months under the ‘Bangladesh Clean Air’ project.”

While not all sources of pollution can be controlled, some, until now, have not been properly addressed.

“In the case of Dhaka, transboundary pollution is responsible for 30 percent to 35 percent of air pollution. This situation is beyond our control. From October to April, 35 percent of air pollution in Dhaka comes from outside the country,” he said.

“Thirty-nine percent of Dhaka’s air pollution is caused by the burning of waste and firewood. We couldn’t address this issue properly. Our efforts are there.”

Gen Zaman impressed upon Chief Adviser Mohammad Yunus that ICT was not the right forum to try eight Army officers allegedly involved in committing crimes against humanity during the July-August 2024 uprising

After exercising restraint for more than a month, Bangladesh Amry chief General Waker-uz-Zaman today took it upon himself to meet Chief Adviser Mohammad Yunus to obtain his approval on all pending files related to the promotion of officers in the ranks of lieutenant colonels, colonels and brigadiers.

While much of Bangladeshi media speculated on Gen Zaman’s meeting with Yunus, especially in the backdrop of the deteriorating law and order situation in the country, the Army chief urged Yunus to delink the names of officers facing criminal prosecution in the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) where several of them were sought to be tried for their alleged involvement in extra-judicial killings and other misdemeanours during the July-August 2024 uprising.

Amid widespread speculation, Gen Zaman also met President Mohammad Shahabuddin ‘Chuppu’ to not only brief him about his recent weeklong (August 21-28) visit to China – which was also taken up with Yunus today – but also the presidential seal against all 70 files related to the officers’ promotion.

“The Army chief waited for over a month after the exercise initiated by the Army Promotion Board which met between July 21 and 28 to discuss and deliberate on each promotion case involving lieutenant colonels, colonels, brigadiers and majors general. Today, he got all the files cleared in one go,” a senior government official said.

As far as the prosecution of about eight Army officers – allegedly involved in committing crimes against humanity in cases related to the July-August uprising – Gen Zaman was of the view that they could be tried in some other judicial forum and not the ICT which has faced criticism for being not being a judicially and legally sound platform and instead being a place for “settling political scores”.

Maj Gen (retd) Ziaul Ehsan is among the eight officers who have been charged with committing crimes against humanity during the July-August 2024 uprising.

Gen Zaman met Bangladesh’s Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed to impress upon him the “need and urgency” to delink the eight Army officers from being proceeded against at the ICT. He also sought to know the legal bases and process involved in dissociating the eight Army officers from legal cases that the ICT was overseeing.

Yesterday, Principal Staff Officer in the Armed Forces Division, Lieutenant General Kamrul Hassan met Yunus to apprise him of the Army’s preparedness and deployment during the proposed February 2026 general elections for which no firm date has yet been fixed.

While Gen Zaman today set off for Bangabhaban, the presidential palace, US Chargé d’Affaires Tracey Ann Jacobson was scheduled to meet Chief Election Commissioner A M M Nasir Uddin, pointing to the shadowy role that the US embassy in Dhaka has been playing in Bangladesh’s political landscape.

Over the past three weeks, Jacobson sought to embroil herself ever deeply in Bangladeshi politics, meeting representatives of various parties and Chief Justice Refaat Ahmed most recently.

Meanwhile, the arrival in Dhaka of former US Ambassador Peter D Haas late on Saturday night has not gone unnoticed with different political and security quarters expecting him to become “politically active” during his week-long sojourn. Haas is a strategic adviser with Texas-based Excelerate Energy which has an establishment in Cox’s Bazar.

Over a year after Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power following a US deep state-led regime change operation, Awami League sources spill the beans on three ministers who ‘collaborated’ with American officials

Three key ministers in the erstwhile Sheikh Hasina government were effectively subverted by the American ‘deep state’ and guided in particular ways to act against the interests of the Awami League regime in the weeks and months before August 5, 2024.

An ongoing thorough evaluation and assessment of why the Hasina government and the Awami League failed in preventing the massive students’ protest in July-August 2024 uncovers the shadowy roles played by Private Investment and Industry Adviser to the them prime minister, Salman F Rahman, Law Minister Anisul Haq and Minister of State for Information Mohammad Arafat to advance the aims and objectives of the US ‘deep state’.

Rahman and Haq were together arrested under mysterious circumstances from Dhaka’s Sadarghat area on the night of August 13, 2024.

There is little or no information related to Arafat’s whereabouts even as a cross-section of Bangladesh’s former and current officialdom, including security agencies, suspect that he may have used his contacts in the western world to flee abroad.

Speaking with Northeast News on the condition of anonymity, Awami League sources who were familiar with the last weeks of the Hasina regime said that Rahman, Haq and Arafat acted in ways that “harmed the interests” of the government in general and the then prime minister in particular.

This was corroborated by a former senior minister in Sheikh Hasina’s cabinet, who was familiar with Salman F Rahman aka ‘Darbesh’s’ meetings with American officials in the US. This former minister said that Darbesh effectively “shut us out” from approaching Sheikh Hasina on government business.

“They were found to be in direct touch with serving and retired US State Department officials not only in Bangladesh but also abroad since at least 2023, if not earlier,” an Awami League functionary close to the ousted Hasina said.

What is significant is that while Hasina never suspected the three of “betraying” her and the regime, she is now familiar with the precise roles played by the trio.

While some Awami League sources said they suspected the US deep state’s regime change operations began as far back as 2018, after the “questionable” election that brought Hasina back to power, other party sources said that the ball was set rolling in April-May 2023 when overt noises over “free and fair” elections were begun to be made by the State Department and its representative in Dhaka, the then Ambassador Peter D Haas, followed by Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Donald Lu.

In this context, a June 2, 2022, intelligence report by an Indian central agency is revealing. It said, “US ambassador Peter Haas, who is constantly reminding BD (Bangladesh) of the need for restoring democracy, is part of the broader plan to bring down Hasina’s Government”.

By September end, 2023, when she made her last official visit to the United States, Hasina had realised that the American ‘deep state’ intended to unseat her from power.

“In a closed-door meeting with some close party functionaries, she placed six vexed issues that her government was confronted with as a consequence of US pressure.

“These included a proposal for Bangladesh to join the Quad, signing the GESOMIA and ACSA deals, allowing American companies to explore and exploit 26 oil and gas-rich areas and the broader issue of Myanmar as envisaged by the US under its Burma Act,” a party functionary said, adding, “Her chin rested on her hands. She appeared perturbed and worried. She could see the threat to her government”.

Hasina, these Awami Leagues functionaries said, was not prepared to give in to the pressures from the US. The sources said that she did not want to give away all the 26 oil and gas fields to US companies and was interested in “dividing these up among two to three multinational firms”.

Meanwhile, Salman F Rahman aka ‘Darbesh’, who had squirmed his way up the Awami League hierarchy and had placed himself in No. 2 position – effectively the deputy prime minister – maintained a hawk eye on Hasina, taking note of who she spoke with or met. During the Washington DC-leg of Hasina’s two-nation (Japan and US) visit in April-May 2023, the then prime minister was booked to stay at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. Instead of taking up a room at this hotel, Darbesh chose to check in to St Regis Hotel.

“The drive between St Regis Hotel and Ritz Carlton would take between 20-30 minutes,” said this source. There was to be a meeting to work out the details of launching a new media platform to counter the “propaganda” launched by some Bangladeshi media, including newspapers and online portals.

“Besides Darbesh, Mohammad Arafat was to be there too for the meeting that would finalise the details of the proposed media platform. Just as I was about to enter the meeting, I saw Marcia Bernicat (who was Ambassador to Bangladesh between 2015 and 2018) leave a room in which Darbesh was ensconced,” the source said.

“When I asked Darbesh two questions related to this meeting with Bernicat, his response was evasive. First, he said this was a separate meeting. Secondly, Darbesh said he did not want his guest seen among others,” the source said, adding, “the previous evening, there was a meeting between Bangladesh’s Ambassador to the US Mohammad Imran and Hasina. The PM’s son Sajib Wazed Joy was also in the meeting”.

There were at least six Americans, including William Milam, the then Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Afrin Akter, a foreign policy analyst and South Asia specialist and Bernicat who were in regular touch with Darbesh, the source said.

Bernicat and two other US State Department officials were sacked by the Donald Trump administration in the second half of January 2025. At that time, Bernicat held the post of Director-General of the US Foreign Service and Director of global talent leading the recruitment, assignment and career development of the State Department’s workforce.

“What stunned me was that later, after the Bangladeshi delegation returned to Dhaka, Darbesh conveyed through Arafat that the new media platform project was no longer required”, the source said, lamenting the “hard work that had gone into preparing a feasibility study and other steps toward that direction”.

Darbesh’s last visit to the US was in October-end 2023, when she had a meeting with US Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights Uzra Zeya.

In December 2024, an Awami League functionary in New York was told by the chief of staff of US Representative From New York (D) and Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Gregory Weldon Meeks that “something major would happen in Bangladesh in six months”.

Sheikh Hasina had little or no inkling of the conspiracy against her. “It was only a few months ago (in 2025) that I had the opportunity to share with Hasina the details of what I could piece together. Her facial muscles tightened as I narrated the extent and depth of the conspiracy that was hatched against her. She then instructed me to prepare a written report,” the source said.

August 3, 2024, was a critical date in Bangladesh’s history in general and Sheikh Hasina’s regime in particular. By that time, the students’ movement had taken a deadly turn, as violence and lawlessness became the order of the day. The first phase of violence – July 16 to 20 – had claimed several lives. The second phase – August 4-6 – was to be deadlier still.

“During a televised interview, a comment by Arafat, that the government had plenty of bullets to counter the students’ movement, proved disastrous, fueling ever more anger against the Hasina regime. This was not foolish; it was deliberate,” the source said.

“On August 3, 2024, the prime minister had convened a meeting in her office. The three services chiefs, the Inspector General of Police and the Directors General of DGFI and NSI were present at the meeting. At one point, the Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal asked Gen Waker-uz-Zaman what the police should do. Gen Zaman responded, saying ‘do not worry, the Army will take over,” the source said.

Hasina, the source said, had the time to “sack him”, but for reasons best known to her, she did not.

The Awami League as a party had also reached a point of indecisiveness or perhaps unseen hands held it in check. The party’s July karmasuchi (programme) included shok michhil (condolence rallies) in every ward of the Dhaka metropolitan area. Besides, there was a plan to bring in 400,000-500,000 party activists and supporters into the capital. “They were to be put up at the Bangabandhu Sammelan Kendra (the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre) at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in Dhaka,” the source said.

On July 30, having sensed that the students’ movement would intensify, Salman F Rahman asked Sheikh Rehana to reach Dhaka post haste from the UK.

“She was given the responsibility of telling Sheikh Hasina that in the event there is bloodshed, the Awami League rally would need to be cancelled. The responsibility for calling off the rally was devolved on Awami League office Secretary Biplab Barua.

“When party leaders backed going ahead with the rally, Sheikh Rehana exploded in rage, telling the assembled party leaders ‘do as you are being told to do’. The planned rally was cancelled, preventing the Awami League from putting up an effective counter-force against the students, Islami Chhatra Shibir, Jamaat-e-Islami and BNP activists and supporters,” the source revealed.

On August 5, Sheikh Hasina resigned, leaving Dhaka for New Delhi.

Close to a year after Sheikh Hasina’s government was toppled in a carefully orchestrated regime change operation, party leaders in Kolkata are bitter with the Awami League leadership.

“They complained that they had been paralysed when the party was in power and everything went well for the organisation. They had no opportunity to candidly express their views either on issues related to the party or the government. So, there was no honest criticism, there was no opportunity to evaluate. This sprung from the fear that they would lose their party or government posts,” Awami League sources said.

Party sources now feel that even as the US deep state had penetrated the Awami League’s upper echelon, a key factor that led to Sheikh Hasina’s “isolation” was her “disastrous” China visit between July 8 and 10.

She returned home at least a day before her scheduled date of arrival, indicating that the China visit did not go as well as planned.

This had the effect of angering India too, Awami League sources said, adding that the “China visit was a wrong strategic decision as far Bangladesh’s relations with India were concerned”.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin on Saturday said the Election Commission (EC) is preparing to hold the next national election within a short timeframe despite various challenges. He said this while speaking at a views-exchange meeting on the national election at the Commission’s Rangpur regional office.

“Restoring public trust in the election system is now a major challenge. People have lost confidence in the system. Bringing them back to the polling centres will be a big task,” he said.

The CEC said the election schedule is unlikely to be announced immediately.

“The election date will be disclosed two months before the schedule is announced,” he said.

Nasir Uddin stressed that the EC will not work for or against any particular party in the national election.

“We will work on behalf of the 18 crore people of the country. Misinformation is being spread on social media through artificial intelligence which the EC is trying to address,” he added.

Calling upon all to exercise their voting rights, the CEC said casting a vote is not only a civic duty but also a moral responsibility. He reiterated that the EC is making the highest possible efforts to conduct the upcoming parliamentary elections in a transparent manner.

In just a year and a half, the Jatiya Party (JaPa) has split again, this time from GM Quader’s leadership. The new faction has elected Anisul Islam Mahmud as chairman, ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader as secretary general, and Kazi Firoz Rashid as senior co-chairman. They were chosen at the party’s 10th National Council, held today (9 August) at the Emmanuel Party Centre in Dhaka. Former JaPa secretary general Mujibul Haque Chunnu was elected executive chairman of the council. Leaders said a full committee would be announced within 15 days.

Speaking to The Business Standard, JaPa (Quader) secretary general Barrister Shamim Haider Patwary insisted that GM Quader remains the leader of the main party and that grassroots activists are united under him. “Those who arranged Saturday’s council are expelled leaders,” he said.

“The council is illegal,” Shamim added.

However, the breakaway faction claims it represents the majority. Of JaPa’s 42 praesidium members, 22 have joined the new group led by Anisul and Ruhul Amin. This is the sixth major split in JaPa’s history, with previous breakaways often creating parties under the same name but with different leaders in brackets. Currently, four registered parties bear the “Jatiya Party” name, with another unregistered faction aligned with the BNP.

The most recent split before this came in February last year, when Raushan Ershad declared herself chairperson and “dismissed” GM Quader and Chunnu from their posts.

The latest division also follows a legal setback for Quader’s leadership. On 30 July , a Dhaka court temporarily barred him and joint office secretary Mahmud Alam from carrying out party activities, reinstating Anisul, Ruhul Amin, Chunnu, and several praesidium members. The order came after Chunnu and nine others filed a civil suit on 27 July, challenging their removal.

At Saturday’s council, Chunnu publicly apologised for JaPa’s role in what he called “illegal elections” under the Awami League’s rule. “If there was any moral mistake, we unconditionally apologise to the people of the country,” he said.

He also admitted that the party may not have always made the right political decisions, but urged supporters to forgive past mistakes. Former co-chairman Syed Abu Hossain Babla, now part of the Anisul-Ruhul faction, told TBS that theirs is “the legitimate Jatiya Party,” adding that they have the support of 22 praesidium members, three of the party’s five co-chairmen, and communication with Raushan Ershad.

Jatiya Party Secretary General Barrister Shamim Haider Patwary expressed his hope that the party will play a positive role in Bangladeshi politics under GM Quader’s leadership.

“Under the leadership of party chairman GM Quader, grassroots leaders and activists remain united. The party will be the place of trust for all the people of this country,” Shamim said.

He made these remarks while addressing a views exchange meeting with the Jatiya Tarun Party at the party’s central office auditorium in Dhaka’s Kakrail yesterday. Patwary also urged party leaders and activists to remain united, avoiding being misled by conspiracies.

JaPa’s first split occurred in 1996 when Anwar Hossain Manju broke away to contest elections with Awami League support. Subsequent divisions took place in 1999, 2003, 2013, and during internal disputes after the death of founder Hussain Muhammad Ershad in 2019. The party’s last split before this year was in February 2024, amid tensions between GM Quader and Raushan Ershad.

Five persons were detained over suspected involvement in the killing of journalist Asaduzzaman Tuhinat Chandana Chowrasta area in Gazipur city on Thursday evening. Shahin Khan, officer-in-charge of Basan police station under GMP, confirmed the detention of five suspects but withheld their identities to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation.

According to local sources, those identified in CCTV footage include Ketu Mizan of the Chandana Chowrasta area, his associate Shah Jamal, and others known as Bullet and Sujan. They are reportedly well-known extortionists and muggers in the locality. The incident has cast a shadow of grief and anger among journalists, professionals, and the general public, who are demanding swift justice and the immediate arrest of the killers.

CCTV footage also captured a scuffle between one Badsha Mia, and a woman. Badsha is currently hospitalized and claimed the women involved took Tk 30,000 from him. He said he did not know them beforehand. Tuhin’s first namaz-e-janaza took place after Friday prayers near Eidgah field at Chandana Chowrasta. Photo: Dhaka Tribune

Meanwhile, Tuhin’s elder brother Selim expressed the family’s loss, saying his brother’s wife Farida Akter and their two young sons, five-year-old Towkir Hossain Taiki and three-year-old Abdullah Al Fahim, have been left orphaned. “Why was my brother killed? Who will now take care of them?” he asked, urging for justice and arrest of the perpetrators.

In response to the murder, local residents staged protests in Chandana last night, demanding the arrest of those responsible. Additionally, the Gazipur Journalists’ Union organized a human chain and rally in front of Gazipur Press Club on Friday morning, reiterating the call for the swift apprehension of those involved.

Speakers at the human chain, including Gazipur Journalists’ Union President Delwar Hossain and prominent journalists Fazlul Haque Morol, Majharul Islam, Masud Rana, and others, condemned the deteriorating law and order situation in Gazipur. They emphasized the urgent need to identify and bring to justice the extortionists and robbers who operate with impunity, as well as their supporters. The accused, they said, were clearly identified in CCTV footage, and failure to arrest them is a serious administrative lapse.

Tuhin’s first namaz-e-janaza took place after Friday prayers near Eidgah field at Chandana Chowrasta, followed by the second janaza in the afternoon at the family graveyard in their native village, Bhatipara in Fulbaria Upazila of Mymensingh, where he will be laid to rest.

Taherul Haque Chauhan, additional commissioner (crime) for GMP, said police are working with multiple teams focusing on the case. “Several suspects have been identified, and operations to arrest them are ongoing. We hope to detain those responsible soon,” he said, adding that the full picture of the crime will emerge once the culprits are in custody.

Asaduzzaman Tuhin’s murder has sent shockwaves across Gazipur, highlighting the urgent need for stronger law enforcement to ensure the safety of journalists and citizens alike.

A one-on-one meeting was held between BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and US Chargé d’Affaires to Bangladesh Ambassador Tracey Ann Jacobson in July last in London. Tarique Rahman’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir and the US Embassy in Dhaka confirmed the meeting, according to a private television channel.

Humayun Kabir described the meeting as “very good” and said it lasted for a couple of hours.

“The ambassador exchanged pleasantries with Tarique Rahman and got to know him personally,” he added.

The discussion focused on BNP’s views regarding the upcoming national election, the party’s vision for future governance and its international outlook. They discussed fundamental issues—what kind of country the BNP wants to build if it wins the next election, what the party’s position is on the electoral framework and how it sees its role internationally, Kabir said.

He emphasised that the discussions were fully aligned with the interests of Bangladesh’s people. “There is nothing that conflicts with the interest of the people of this country,” he noted.

Kabir said Tarique Rahman’s approach to foreign policy will be shaped by the aspirations of the people of Bangladesh and the spirit of the July Uprising.

“His foreign policy will prioritise the people’s interest and be rooted in what they have fought for,” he said.

According to Kabir, the meeting took place in two phases. In the first phase, Ambassador Jacobson enquired about Tarique Rahman’s well-being and discussed how he has been guiding his party over the past 17 years while living abroad.

Bangladesh have achieved their biggest-ever leap in the FIFA Women’s World Ranking, climbing 24 places to reach 104th, up from 128th. This dramatic rise follows their historic qualification for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 — the first time Bangladesh have reached the continental finals.

In the latest rankings released by FIFA, the Bengal Tigresses earned 1179.87 points — the highest gain among all nations in this cycle, with a net increase of +80.51 points. The improvement reflects the team’s consistent performances, especially against higher-ranked opponents, during the Asian Cup qualifiers held in Yangon, Myanmar.

Coached by Englishman Peter Butler, Bangladesh emerged as group champions, defeating host nation Myanmar (ranked 55th at the time), Bahrain (ranked 36 places higher), and Turkmenistan. The team maintained a perfect winning record throughout the campaign, showcasing tactical discipline, defensive strength, and attacking flair.

With this boost, Bangladesh are now ranked 19th among AFC (Asian Football Confederation) nations. Within the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF), they are now third, only behind India (63rd) and Nepal (87th) — a significant milestone that highlights their growing stature in regional football.

The qualifiers marked a turning point for Bangladesh women’s football, with the team demonstrating resilience and a growing maturity on the international stage.

Their rise in the rankings signals a strong step forward for South Asian women’s football and sets high expectations for their Asian Cup debut.

Meanwhile, Spain — runners-up in the recent UEFA Women’s Euro — have reclaimed the top position in the global standings, pushing the United States down to second. However, Bangladesh’s 24-place climb remains the most remarkable gain in this update.

With momentum on their side, the Tigresses now look ahead to making a bold statement in the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.

The police arrested former Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur vice-chancellor Professor Nazmul Ahsan Kalimullah at Mohammadpur in Dhaka on Thursday. A team of the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police arrested Kalimullah at about 12:15pm in a graft case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission, the metropolitan police’s DB joint commissioner for south and administration, Mohammad Nasirul Islam, said.

‘The case is connected with corruption in the university during his tenure as a vice-chancellor,’ he added.

Kalimullah was later produced before the court of Dhaka metropolitan senior special judge Md Zakir Hossain Galib, who sent him to jail, court officials said. Kalimullah, a professor in the Department of Public Administration of Dhaka University, served as BRUR vice-chancellor between June 1, 2017 and June 9, 2021.

The Anti-Corruption Commission on June 18 filed the case against five people including two BRUR vice-chancellors, Kalimullah and Professor Dr AKM Nur-un-Nabi, for their alleged involvement in embezzling Tk 4 crore from a development project of the university in Rangpur.

A journalist was hacked to death by between six and seven people at Eidgah market in the Gazipur city’s Chandana chowrasta under Bason police station area on Thursday night, reportedly for sharing a video report on extortion. Md Asaduzzaman Tuhin, a district correspondent of a Bangla daily Dainik Pratidiner Kagoj, was killed at about 8:00pm on Thursday.

Gazipur Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner Rabiul Islam said that the police had recovered the body from the spot on information and sent it to the Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital for autopsy. He, however, claimed that he could not know the cause of the murder immediately, but the process for taking legal actions was under way.