Police early Saturday arrested two people as they allegedly raped a schoolgirl, from Sinai village of Rajarhat.

The accused were identified as Abdus Salam, 25, son of Umar Ali and Abdul Malek, 27, son of Karim of Sinai village.  

Kurigram Superintendent of Police Mohibul Islam said police arrested the duo from their house in a drive acting on a tip-off.

They picked up a ninth grader from her house on July 27 night and violated her in a nearby jungle, SP said.

The miscreants attacked the victim's parents leaving them injured and also looted gold ornaments and cash money from the victim’s house, he said.

A case was filed accusing four people with Rajarhat Police Station in this regard.

US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl Miller on Saturday said his country is proud to work with the government of Bangladesh to help provide humanitarian assistance to those affected by flooding.

Ambassador Miller visited Madhya Khatiamari village in Gaibandha district with officials of Bangladesh government to observe US assistance to those affected by the flooding.  

Ambassador Miller spoke with families receiving emergency assistance provided through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), including cash grants and emergency hygiene kits.  

He was joined by officials of the local administration from Gaibandha district and Fulchari upazila, and representatives from CARE Bangladesh and SKS Foundation who are administering this emergency assistance programme.   

“This assistance is another example of the enduring ties between the United States and Bangladesh and our wonderful partnership with CARE and the SKS Foundation,” he said.

The US government, through USAID, has provided more than $7 billion in development assistance to Bangladesh since 1971, according to US Embassy in Dhaka. 

Additionally, to date, the US government has contributed over $56.5 million from multiple agencies to support COVID-19 response efforts. 

In 2019, USAID alone provided over $200 million to improve the lives of people in Bangladesh through programmes that expand food security and economic opportunity, improve health and education, promote democratic institutions and practices, protect the environment, and increase resilience to climate change.

During a stopover at a relief distribution site, Ambassador Miller, local officials and NGO representatives visited a homestead raised on an earthen plinth, a platform built after the 2019 floods as part of USAID’s SHOUHARDO III programme.  

Over 1,500 homesteads, including homes, livestock pens, and household gardens were raised above flood levels on such plinths last year.  

These homeowners’ property were protected from the flooding, and the homeowners were able to take in neighbouring families whose homes were flooded.

Newly appointed administrator of Chattagram City Corporation Khorshed Alam Sujon on Saturday pledged to put in his best efforts to serve people in the city keeping no scope for corruption. 

He said there will be no scope of corruption for anyone-- big or small-- in Chattogram City Corporation.

Sujon was addressing a meeting with the press, organized by the Chittagong Journalists Forum, Dhaka (CJFD) at Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU) auditorium.

"Some 180 days are not enough to solve all problems. But I want to empower 40 lakh inhabitants of the city and make everybody as an administrator of the city," said the CCC administrator.

He said he was on the road and will remain so. "I wish to die on the road."

Sujon talked about traffic jam and waterlogging in the port and highlighted reasons behind it.

He said container terminals will not be allowed in an unplanned way in the city corporation area.

About waterlogging, he said, waterlogging is not a problem of Chittagong only, it is a problem for the whole country. 

“Being a natural city of rivers and seas, waterlogging occurs here. New projects have been taken to remove this waterlogging which is going on.” 

Sujon hoped all the problems in Chattogram will be solved gradually. 

“I was with ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury for around 17 years and I will work using the experiences," he said.

Sujon encouraged journalists to bring it to notice if he does anything wrong. "I promise that I will never get angry for any negative news."

CJFD President Shahed Siddique delivered the welcome remarks while General Secretary Morshed Noman moderated the programme.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday congratulated Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on the victory of ruling SLPP party in the country’s National Assembly polls held on August 5.

In a message to Mahinda Rajapaksa, Sheikh Hasina said the victory of the Sri Lankan ruling party is a reflection of the trust and confidence of the people of Sri Lanka in the present leadership of the country, said PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim.

She said Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have been working based on their close relations on various issues of common interests like accelerating inter-country connectivity, containing terrorism and militancy as well as climate change.

Hasina described the living of a huge number of Sri Lankans in Bangladesh as an example of excellent bilateral ties between Dhaka and Colombo.

In her message, the Prime Minister especially recalled her bilateral meeting with Mahinda Rajapaksa during his official visit to Bangladesh and exchange of views between the two countries in various international events to accelerate bilateral issues.

She said Dhaka has been working to give the bilateral relations a stronger footing during the tenure of Mahindra Rajapaksa in the government.

Hasina said both Bangladesh and Sri Lankan will work together to establish peace, harmony and prosperity in South Asia.

The Prime Minister invited her Sri Lankan counterpart Rajapaksa to visit Bangladesh at his convenient time.

Fourteen Bangladeshi Tabligh -e-Jamaat members returned home on Friday night after languishing in an Indian jail for 40 days.

Mohsin Khan, officer-in-charge of Benapole Check-post Immigration Police said that Indian immigration police handed them over to Bangladesh authorities through Benapole check-post around 11:30pm.

The 14 Bangladeshis are residents of different areas including Dhaka, he said.

After completing their medical tests, they will be kept in institutional quarantine at Jhikargasa of Jashore for 14 days, he said.

According to immigration police, 265 Tabligh Jamaat men went to India in February this year. They were staying there during the coronavirus outbreak.

Indian police arrested them along with others who attended a Tabligh event in Nizamuddin of Delhi, on charges of spreading the infection while Indian court sentenced them to 40-day jail terms.

They managed to return home after serving their 40-day sentence.