United News of Bangladesh

A housewife was shot by unidentified assailants who opened fire through the window of her home while she was watching television in the capital's Darus Salam area on Saturday night. The victim was identified as Jesmin Begum, 38, wife of Abdul Mannan of Matbor Bari Masjid Goli of the area. Jesmin's son Yasin said his mother was watching television with the window of their home open when unidentified assailants fired through it around 8:30pm before fleeing. The bullet struck her right hand, causing serious injuries, and she fell onto the floor, he said. After learning about the incident, Yasin rescued his mother and initially took her to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital. Following initial treatment there, she was shifted to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) around 10:50pm for better treatment. Hailing from Uttar Dalla village under Nabinagar upazila of Brahmanbaria district, Jesmin has been living with her husband in a rented house of the Masjid Goli. In-charge of the DMCH police camp Inspector Md Habibur Rahman said the woman suffered gunshot injuries to her right hand.

Sudan's prolonged war and worsening electricity crisis are driving more residents to turn to solar power, but the high cost of installing solar systems is putting the alternative energy source beyond the reach of many households. For 31-year-old housewife Randa al-Mansour, solar panels installed on the roof of her building have provided a lifeline through repeated power outages in Omdurman, just outside Khartoum. She said the frequent blackouts have made daily life particularly difficult for her three children, who often return home from school because there is no electricity to run classrooms or fans. Sudan's military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been fighting since April 2023. The conflict has killed at least 59,000 people and displaced around 13 million, according to figures cited by The Associated Press. The war has also severely damaged the country's already fragile electricity infrastructure. The UN Development Programme estimates that damage to the power grid has reached about $3 billion. As outages become increasingly frequent, advertisements for solar panels, batteries and inverters have become common across the capital. But the cost remains a major barrier. Mohey Eddin Abu-Bark, who runs a solar systems business in Khartoum, said a typical 10-kilowatt household system costs nearly $5,000. “For a low-income family, installing a solar panel system is a huge sacrifice but an inevitable choice,” he said. Many Sudanese families cannot afford such an investment. Manahel Madany, a 43-year-old civil servant with diabetes, said power cuts and extreme heat have repeatedly ruined her insulin supply because she cannot afford a solar system to keep her refrigerator running. She said she is sometimes forced to discard her insulin every few days after it spoils. The electricity crisis is also affecting the availability and storage of medicines. Madany said many pharmacies cannot afford solar systems needed to maintain proper storage conditions, contributing to shortages of essential drugs. The Sudan Doctors' Network has warned that prolonged power outages could have serious consequences for hospitals and patients, particularly those requiring continuous treatment such as kidney patients. According to the World Bank, about 30% of Sudan's population has no access to electricity, with rural communities particularly affected. Even in urban areas connected to the national grid, outages have reportedly lasted as long as 16 hours a day in recent months. Electricity generation has fallen sharply since the war began. Two electricity officials told AP that production has dropped from around 4,400 megawatts before the conflict to about 1,100 megawatts. They said several power plants have been damaged by drone attacks attributed to the RSF. Nearly half of the country's electricity engineers and technicians have also left Sudan since 2023, according to a survey by a local labour union. The officials spoke anonymously because they were not authorised to speak publicly. Sudan has strong potential for solar power, with the country receiving more than 4,000 hours of sunshine annually in some areas, according to the United Nations. However, the high initial cost of imported solar equipment, combined with the depreciation of Sudan's currency, continues to make the transition to solar energy difficult for millions of people.

A furniture warehouse caught fire at Satarakul in the city’s Badda area on Sunday morning. The fire erupted around 8:55am at the warehouse, said Md Anwarul Islam, warehouse inspector (Media Cell) of the Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters. On information, two units from the Baridhara Fire Station rushed to the spot and began efforts to douse the blaze, he said, adding that Two more units from the Purbachal Fire Station were also dispatched to the scene. The fire was brought under control around 9:58am before the Purbachal units reached the spot, Anwarul Islam said. The two Purbachal units later returned from the midway as their assistance was no longer required. The cause of the fire and the extent of damage could not be immediately known.

A farmer in Pirojpur has transformed his fortune through malta cultivation, turning a small 10-decimal plot into a thriving orchard and nursery while inspiring others to take up commercial citrus farming. Rebati Shikdar, 50, of Dakatia village in Sadar upazila, started cultivating malta in 2008 with just 10 decimals of land, encouraged by advice from the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and the potential for a malta farming revolution in the district. He collected 45 saplings of an Indian variety from the local market and planted and nurtured them following the advice of agricultural officials. Within three years, the orchard began producing a good yield. Rebati said his wife’s strong interest and dedicated care played the biggest role in developing the orchard. He initially spent around Tk 25,000 to establish the orchard. His annual expenses, including seasonal workers, were around Tk 20,000, while he earned nearly Tk 1 lakh a year after meeting the family’s needs. Rebati said malta from his orchard is juicier and tastier than imported varieties, creating strong demand in the market. He sells the fruit at Tk 150 per kilogram at retail and Tk 110-120 wholesale. Encouraged by the yield and prospects, he expanded his orchard in 2016 by planting BARI Malta-1 saplings on an additional 3.5 acres. The expansion initially cost him around Tk 8 lakh. His annual expenses, including wages for two permanent workers, are about Tk 3 lakh. The expanded orchard has around 1,000 malta trees along with other fruit trees. As malta cultivation expanded in Pirojpur, Rebati also established a nursery alongside his orchard. He produces around 15,000 grafted malta saplings annually and earns about Tk 6 lakh a year by selling the saplings.  

Dhaka ranked 13th among the world’s cities with the worst air quality on Sunday morning, recording an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 107 at 09:30am. According to the AQI scale, the city's air quality was classified as “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups”, poses health risks to children, older adults, and people with heart or lung diseases, while the general public is mostly unaffected. Malaysia's Kuching topped the global pollution ranking with an AQI of 229, followed by Kuala Lumpur with 182 and Uganda's Kampala with 154. An AQI reading of 101 to 150 is considered ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’, while 151 to 200 is classified as ‘unhealthy’. A reading between 201 and 300 is considered ‘very unhealthy’, and anything above 301 is categorized as ‘hazardous’, posing serious health risks. The AQI provides a daily indication of air quality by measuring the level of pollution and its potential impact on human health. In Bangladesh, the AQI is calculated based on five major pollutants — particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ozone. Dhaka has long faced serious air pollution problems, with air quality generally deteriorating during the winter months and improving during the monsoon season. The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution contributes to around 7 million deaths worldwide every year, mainly from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections.

Lautaro Martínez scored in stoppage time as Inter Milan came from two goals down to beat Napoli 3-2 in Serie A on Saturday, while Jamal Musiala returned to action for Bayern Munich in a goalless draw against Schalke. Martínez's late strike completed a dramatic comeback at San Siro and kept Inter perfect after three league rounds. Napoli appeared to be in control after Matteo Politano and Rasmus Højlund scored early in the second half. Inter responded almost immediately, with Martínez pulling one back three minutes later. Marcus Thuram then levelled in the 82nd minute after earlier hitting the post. Manuel Akanji helped create the winning goal when he recovered a loose ball and played it to Martínez, who finished from close range to send the home fans into celebration. The defeat was Napoli's second in succession under new coach Massimiliano Allegri after it also lost to Como. Inter will next face Real Madrid away in the Champions League on Tuesday. Roma also produced a late comeback, scoring twice in the final minutes to defeat Atalanta 2-1. Éderson put Atalanta ahead before Matías Soulé set up Mario Hermoso for the equaliser in the 90th minute and scored the winner three minutes into stoppage time. Torino beat Fiorentina 2-1 away. Musiala returns for Bayern Musiala came on as a second-half substitute as Bayern were held 0-0 by Schalke, making his first Bundesliga appearance of the season. The Germany international had missed the opening league game after experiencing a neurological problem that caused him to collapse during two preseason matches. Schalke goalkeeper Loris Karius produced an impressive display to earn his side a point and prevent Bayern from scoring in a German league match for the first time since February 2025. Newly promoted Elversberg continued its remarkable start to its first Bundesliga campaign by beating Borussia Moenchengladbach 4-3 with a stoppage-time winner from Maurice Krattenmacher. Borussia Dortmund also came from two goals behind to beat Hoffenheim 3-2, with Albian Hajdari scoring an 86th-minute own goal. Leipzig suffered a 3-1 defeat at Werder Bremen, while Bayer Leverkusen coach Carles Martinez secured his first Bundesliga victory with a 4-0 win over Union Berlin. Haaland keeps City perfect Erling Haaland scored his third goal of the season as Manchester City defeated Coventry 1-0 to maintain a perfect start and stay top of the Premier League with nine points from three games. Hull City remained unbeaten in second place after a 0-0 draw with Aston Villa. Tottenham earned its first point of the season after a goalless draw at Nottingham Forest, while Newcastle remained unbeaten under new coach Matthias Jaissle after Jacob Ramsey's late equaliser secured a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth. Crystal Palace twice came from behind to beat Fulham 3-2 at Craven Cottage and claim its first points of the campaign. Brighton drew 1-1 with Leeds, while Brentford and Sunderland also shared the points in a 1-1 draw. Aubameyang strikes again for Deportivo Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang continued his impressive start with Deportivo, scoring in the 88th minute to secure a 3-2 victory at Villarreal. The 37-year-old has now scored four goals in as many matches since joining the promoted side, which remains unbeaten since returning to Spain's top flight. Athletic Bilbao also recorded a convincing victory, beating Atletico Madrid 3-0 after scoring all three goals in the second half. Nico Williams, Robert Navarro and Oihan Sancet were on target for Athletic, which has won its first two matches under German coach Edin Terzić. Rayo Vallecano defeated Racing Santander 3-2, with Sergio Camello scoring twice. Utrecht match abandoned The Dutch league match between Utrecht and Go Ahead Eagles was abandoned after supporters threw fireworks and other objects onto the pitch. The game was stopped in the second half with Go Ahead Eagles leading 3-1. Utrecht condemned the supporters' actions and said it would review video footage and take action against those responsible. Elsewhere in the Eredivisie, PSV Eindhoven beat Ajax 3-1. Lens suffers second straight defeat Lens, last season's Ligue 1 runner-up, suffered its second consecutive defeat after losing 1-0 at home to Lorient. Brest beat Le Havre 2-1, while Nice drew 1-1 with Le Mans.  

Bangladesh is witnessing a rise in dengue cases, with the mosquito-borne disease spreading across the country and the number of infections and deaths continuing to increase, putting fresh pressure on hospitals and health authorities. Since January 1 this year, a total of 41,032 dengue patients have been admitted to hospitals across the country. Of them, 38,179 have been discharged after recovery, while 113 have died till Saturday (Sept 5), according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) alone recorded 39 deaths during the period, accounting for around 34.5 percent of the total fatalities reported across the country this year. The city corporation also recorded 5,400 dengue cases, accounting for 13.16 percent of the cumulative cases reported nationwide. The figures highlight the concentration of dengue-related deaths in the DSCC area, where the disease continues to pose a significant public health concern.

US forces struck three Iranian oil tankers after Iranian forces allegedly targeted American Navy vessels with ballistic missiles, marking a fresh escalation in the months-long conflict, the US military said Saturday. The US military said an aircraft carrier and a destroyer came under multiple “unprovoked Iranian attacks” while operating in the region, but no American personnel were injured. According to the US statement, two Iranian oil tankers were permanently disabled and a third, which was carrying no cargo, was destroyed. The military said the vessels were part of a shadow shipping network that helps finance Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its regional allies. US Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper warned that Washington would defend its forces and, if necessary, destroy Iran's “limited and exposed oil fleet.” Iran's state broadcaster later reported that Iranian forces had targeted three oil tankers and three US vessels in retaliation for the American strikes. The report could not immediately be independently verified. An Iranian military command spokesperson warned that attacks on US warships would become more severe if Washington continued interfering with Iranian shipping. The US said one tanker was hit near Kharg Island, a key Iranian oil-export terminal, another near Jask east of the Strait of Hormuz, and the third in the Gulf of Oman. The crew of the empty tanker was ordered to abandon the vessel. Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks as a war crime and warned that Washington and its allies would bear responsibility for the consequences of continued US aggression, including what Tehran described as economic warfare. The latest strikes came nearly a week after the United States and Iran resumed hostilities following a month-long lull. Fighting has again centered on the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for global oil and gas shipments. The conflict began on Feb. 28 with US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Months of intermittent fighting have inflicted military and economic damage on both sides, while diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have collapsed. The latest escalation also follows renewed attacks in southern Iran, where a US strike earlier this week killed at least five people. One attack hit a wedding gathering, according to local accounts. The Trump administration has pursued a combination of military action and economic pressure against Tehran. US Vice President JD Vance said Thursday that there was no prospect of renewed negotiations while Iran continued attacking ships, although he noted that major military operations had ended in July. Iran, meanwhile, has continued exporting oil despite US sanctions and a blockade, relying partly on a shadow fleet of vessels to transport crude to international buyers. The country's nuclear programme remains a major source of tension. Negotiations intended to address the issue collapsed after the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding in June. The United States, Britain, France and Germany are now seeking to refer Iran to the UN Security Council over alleged failures to meet its nuclear nonproliferation obligations. With diplomacy stalled, Tehran has increasingly used control over the Strait of Hormuz as leverage. US forces have been helping commercial vessels navigate the waterway, although shipping traffic remains significantly below normal levels.

Russian President Vladimir Putin held more than three hours of talks with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at the Kremlin on Saturday as Washington renewed efforts to broker an end to the war in Ukraine. The closed-door meeting ended without any immediate announcement of a breakthrough. Putin's foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov later described the talks as constructive, frank and useful, but did not disclose specific outcomes. Witkoff and Kushner, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law, are scheduled to travel to Kyiv on Sunday for talks with Ukrainian officials. It will be their first visit to the Ukrainian capital as part of the current peace process. The meeting took place amid an escalation in Russian and Ukrainian aerial attacks. Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy agreed to temporarily suspend strikes on each other's capitals while the US delegation conducted its talks. At the start of the Kremlin meeting, Putin asked the US envoys to convey his greetings and gratitude to Trump, while acknowledging that the situation surrounding Ukraine remained difficult. Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin had ordered a three-day halt to strikes on Kyiv beginning at midnight Saturday. Zelenskyy separately said Ukraine was prepared to refrain from attacking Moscow through Monday and expected Russia to reciprocate. Ushakov said Moscow provided the US delegation with a detailed assessment of the battlefield situation in Ukraine. He added that the discussions also covered economic issues and possible large-scale projects that could benefit both Russia and the United States. The latest talks come after the US-led peace process lost momentum amid Washington's focus on the war involving Iran over the past six months. Witkoff and Kushner last visited Moscow in January, when they also met Putin. Meanwhile, fighting has continued along the roughly 1,250-kilometre front line, with both sides stepping up long-range attacks. Zelenskyy said Russia carried out overnight strikes on Kyiv and Boryspil international airports, suggesting the attacks were linked to preparations for the US delegation's planned trip to Ukraine. “Clearly, these Russian strikes on the airports are a reaction to the discussions and preparations for the possibility of the US side using an aircraft to travel to Ukraine,” he said in a social media post. The latest Russian attacks also caused civilian casualties in several parts of Ukraine. In the southern Dnipropetrovsk region, Russian strikes killed five workers and wounded others at an industrial facility, according to regional officials. Separate attacks in the region's Nikopol district and around Dnipro also killed one person and injured several others while damaging residential and commercial buildings. In the eastern Kharkiv region, a Russian drone struck a house in Chuhuiv, killing three people, including an 11-year-old boy, and injuring a woman, regional officials said. Two people were also killed and another wounded in a Russian drone attack in the Bucha district of the Kyiv region. Officials said dozens of facilities across five districts were damaged, including homes, warehouses, railway infrastructure and vehicles. In the southern Mykolaiv region, Russian drones repeatedly struck a shopping center, damaging shops and triggering fires. A 72-year-old man and a 17-year-old girl were wounded, according to Ukraine's emergency services. Ukraine's air force said Russia launched ballistic missiles and 167 attack drones overnight, including Shahed-type drones, many of them jet-powered. Ukrainian air defenses said they shot down or otherwise neutralised 128 drones. Ukraine also continued attacks inside Russia. Authorities in Russia's Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, said two people were killed and three wounded in Ukrainian attacks on Saturday. Russia's Defense Ministry said its forces had intercepted 53 Ukrainian drones overnight. Despite the renewed diplomatic push, the continued attacks underscore the difficulty of securing a lasting ceasefire, with both sides still seeking military and political leverage on the battlefield.

Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee on Saturday warned opposition parties against threatening the BNP with a one-point movement, asserting that today's BNP is a political party born from 17 years of street struggles. Addressing a pre-rally gathering marking the BNP’s 48th founding anniversary, Annie criticized the opposition’s relentless protests over the past six months. He equated the NCP with Jamaat-e-Islami, stating their long march speeches mirror fascist rhetoric. "Everyone desires a beautiful Bangladesh. We successfully held elections, yet they launched protests heading toward a one-point movement," Annie said. He added that resolving utility crises within six months is impossible, noting that public suffering over gas and electricity shortages could have been resolved faster if the interim government had taken charge of the work. He claimed the public rejected the long march due to low participation. The rally paraded from Adarsha Samad Mor to Lillah Jame Masjid field, attended by District BNP Joint Convener Advocate Hasibur Rahman and Member Secretary Sahab Uddin Sabu.