Jashore
Youth killed over football match in Jashore
A speech-impaired youth was killed in over a football match in Jhikargachha upazila of Jashore on Saturday.
The deceased was identified as Nayan Hossain, 24, son of Shahidul Islam of Taura village in Jhikargachha upazila.
Read:Residents of Jashore juvenile home go berserk seeking better facilities
Police and witnesses said a football match was held at a local playground on Saturday afternoon.
There was a dispute between the two teams over scoring a goal in the game.
At one stage, 12/15 people led by Sarwar,a member of Ward No 6 of Panisara UP, beat up and stabbed the players of the opponent team, leaving four people injured.
Later, locals rescued them and admitted them to Jhikargachha Upazila Health Complex. Nayan and Zahurul were transferred to Jashore General Hospital where doctors declared Nayan dead.
Read:4 killed in Jashore road crash
Abdur Razzak, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Jhikargachha Police Station said police have not yet arrested anyone involved in the incident.
The body has been sent to Jashore General Hospital Morgue for an autopsy, the OC added.
Residents of Jashore juvenile home go berserk seeking better facilities
Juveniles at Jashore Child (Boy) Development Centre went berserk at its compound on Saturday night, demanding better food supply and facilities.
The management, however, quelled the protesters after three hours of negotiation, locals said.
Additional District Magistrate Kazi Sayemuzzaman said the residents of the juvenile home got angry as they were not allowed to get out of the centre due to the pandemic.
Also read: 3 killed in Jashore juvenile correction centre clash
He also said the juveniles also complained about the quality of food and the problem of potable water.
Zakir Hossain, assistant director of the centre, said the juveniles had been demanding food at a rate of Tk 72 per day for each.
He also alleged that they demanded food supply and facilities in different rooms for seniors and juniors and staged violent protests on Saturday night.
Also read: Legal notice sent to govt to compensate families of murdered Jashore juveniles
Later, he said, Ansar members were called in to bring the situation under control.
Meanwhile, hundreds of police personnel were deployed to fend off any further trouble.
On August 13, 2020, three teenagers were killed and 15 were injured in a clash at the Jashore Child Development Centre.
Also read: Indian teen 'ends life' at juvenile centre
Now ‘Big Boss’ is in Jashore, drawing crowd
“Big Boss” is here. And the curious visitors too.
No, this is not the popular Indian reality television show.
Read:Cattle markets in Thakurgaon closed for a week due to Covid-19
It’s an ox that has become a centre of attraction and popular gossip in Deluabati village in Monirampur upazila of Jashore district.
‘Big Boss’ is 5.7 feet high and 8.5 feet tall. Its owner Ishak Ali hopes to sell at at Tk. 25 lakh. So, the sheer size and the fat price have become a talk of the town.
Ishak is confident he will get the expected price for his ‘Big Boss’, an Australian Friesian variety cattle, in the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha.
Read:Life no longer milk for Khulna cattle farmers as Razor disease spreads
Ishak named the cattle as Big Boss due to its size. He also claimed that some 1240 kg meat will be obtained from the ox. However, the big size cattle also consumed fodder worth Tk 7,000-8,000 daily, he said.
“In high temperature Big Boss needs two baths at night. But we bathe it twice in a day. One can’t take the big size ox from one place to another so everything is done at the cow-shed,” said Ishak.
Many people have started thronging to the house of Ishak to see ‘Big Boss’ as he made the information public on Saturday.
Read:How Dhaka plans to meet the growing demand for quality cattle feed
Salma Begum, wife of Ishak, said “They have bought a cow of Australian Friesian variety from their neighbour five years ago and later the cow gave birth to an ox on February 1, 2018. As the calf looked big in size it was named Big Boss.”
Jashore's weaving industry on the verge of extinction
For years the rhythmic sound of handlooms woke up the residents of Manirampur.
Not now.
The weavers in this western region are losing the battle to keep the craft alive. They are facing extinction.
Read: Jashore's daily caseload hits new high of 469
Manirapmpur Upazila in Jshore has been a popular hub for handloom industry.
About 80,000 handloom workers live in 78 villages of its 249 villages. Many of the workers are from the Bharatpur, Paralo and Muzgunni villages.
Villagers here have been used to the sounds of Pitloom and Khatkhati (traditional loom equipment). But these are now falling silent.
Abdur Rauf of Paralo village had once 60 to 70 Pitlooms and Khatkhatis in his house. Now he owns only 22 pitlooms.
Abdullah, who lives next door, depends on weaving for livelihood but wants to leave this profession as well.
People in this profession are moving away from this craft.
Read: Residents of Jashore village along 'Indiapara' worried about spread of new variant
The weaving industry at Jashore's Manirumpur is almost on death bed due to labour scarcity, lack of raw materials and other challenges.
Besides, people in this profession are being beaten by modern technology.
“Weavers no longer can earn their living through this profession”, said Abdur Rauf .
A weaver gets Tk 40 as wage for weaving a two-yard towel or gamcha.
After working the whole day, he gets Tk 150-200 only which is not enough for his family.
Read: Fed up waiting for WDB, villagers in Jashore tackle waterlogging on their own
That towel gets the owner a meagre profit of Tk 2.
That is why they are quitting this profession, Abdur said with a sigh.
Weavers concede they are losing competition from their counterparts of Kushtia, Sirajganj and Pabna.
“Our competitors have developed the industry with modern technology. They are making traditional handlooms even miserable,” he said.
Loom owners are urging the government’s to support them to save this dying traditional craft.
They believe with necessary raw materials, modern equipment, training and easy-term low interest loans can rejuvenate this cottage industry.
Read: Jashore dairy farmers count losses as demand falls
Prof. Mohammad Babul Akhter, Central Secretary for Education and Human Resources of Bangladesh Weavers League, said in order to keep the weaving community and the weaving industry alive in Monirampur, it is necessary to provide modern training to the workers, modern equipment and easy loans to this community.
If the government is sincere in this regard, the people of the weaving community will be able to survive, he said.
Strict restrictions in two Jashore areas to contain Covid spread
Authorities have imposed strict restrictions in Jashore and Nauapara municipalities of the district to break the chain of Covid-19 transmission.
The decision to impose the restrictions with effect from Wednesday midnight was taken at a recent meeting of the District Coronavirus Prevention Committee in view of a surge in Covid cases in the two municipalities.
Read:Covid in Jashore: Movement of people restricted in 2 wards
The district on Wednesday reported 143 new Covid cases in 24 hours, pushing up the infection rate to 49 percent. Two persons, including a Covid-19 patient, died during this period.
According to an expert team of the Health Services Division, Covid cases are on the rise in Jashore district, which shares its border with India.
Read: 52-yr-old India returnee dies in Jashore
As per its three-day report, the infection rate in the district was 29 percent on June 7, 42 percent on June 8, and 49 percent on June 9.
The district has so far recorded 7,701 Covid cases and 84 fatalities. Currently, 72 Covid patients are undergoing treatment at Jashore General Hospital.
Read:8 Indian variant cases identified in Jashore
Additional District Magistrate Kazi Mohammad Sayemuzzaman said, “The local administration is worried about the overall Covid-19 situation in the district and that’s why it has decided to impose restrictions on public movement in the two municipalities.”
No vehicles will be allowed to leave Jashore district town, while all shops and markets have been asked to stay shut. Only kitchen markets, daily essential shops and pharmacies will stay open.
Covid in Jashore: Movement of people restricted in 2 wards
The local administration has imposed a strict restriction on the movement of people in two wards of Jashore municipality following a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases.
Read: 8 Indian variant cases identified in Jashore
The local Corona prevention committee took the decision at an emergency meeting held on Saturday night over the overall Covid-19 situation in the district, said additional district magistrate Kazi Mohammad Sayemuzzaman, a member of the committee.
The residents of the two wards -- No 3 and 4 -- have been asked not to go outside their homes without any emergency reason. “Those who’ll violate the order will face legal action,” warned Sayemuzzaman.
According to health officials, they have recorded 33 new cases of Covid-19 from the two wards of the municipality till June 5, showing a significant rise in Covid-19 cases.
Read: Residents of Jashore village along 'Indiapara' worried about spread of new variant
Besides, the Abhaynagar upazila administration will impose the same restriction in ward No 5 and 6 of Nauapara municipality as the health authorities reported 18 and 11 cases respectively in these two wards.
Meanwhile, the authorities concerned have found 11 people with Covid-19 infections in No 4 Gadkhali union of Jhikargacha upazila.
Read: Separate quarantine centre for single women in Jashore
The committee also decided to identify the houses of those infected people and isolated them.
8 Indian variant cases identified in Jashore
Genome Centre of Jashore University of Science and Technology (JUST) Monday found the Indian variant of the coronavirus among eight local patients.
The patients- seven men and a woman, were all under 56.
None of them had been to India or contact with any India returnee.
A team of researchers led by Associate Director of the Genome Center Prof. Dr. Md. Iqbal Kabir Zahid came up with the results through genome sequencing.
READ: Covid patient infected with Indian variant held in Chandpur
The local administration, Ministry of Health and IEDCR were immediately informed.
The samples were collected from Abhaynagar Upazila Health Complex, Jashore General Hospital and Jhikargachha Upazila Health Complex to find out whether the Indian variant had spread over the district.
The research team advised the India returnees to stay in institutional quarantine until they are tested negative for coronavirus.
READ: Covid-19: Three more cases of Indian variant reported in Bangladesh
In addition, they suggested to strictly maintain health guidelines at the border.
Residents of Jashore village along 'Indiapara' worried about spread of new variant
The residents of Doulatpur village along Chougachcha upazila in Jashore district are passing their days in fear of the new strain of Indian Covid-19 variant as they are living along the border area close to 'Indiapara'.
Sources said, a road from India has entered into the Doulatpur village along its south-eastern side and a number of Indian residents are living in a part of the village, which is known as Indiapara.
The residents of Daulatpur village have a close contact with the people of Indiapara and there is no boundary among them.
Some 80-85 families of Indian nationals are living on that portion adjacent to the Bangladesh border. The total population of Indiapara is approximately 150.
The residents of Indiapara are moving freely in the Bangladesh part of Daulatpur village dodging the Border Guards of Bangladesh (BGB).
Also read Coronavirus: 'Double mutant' Covid variant found in India
The residents of Indiapara commute to Bagda Bazar and other parts of India everyday and then come home.
As the Indian variant of the Coronavirus has grown into a major concern around the world, panic gripped the inhabitants of the Doulatpur village due to free movement of the residents of Indiapara.
The local people have demanded to strengthen the border security along the border village of Indiapara.
During a recent visit to the Daulatpur village, this UNB correspondent found that the people of Indiapara are moving freely in Bangladesh territory under the nose of border guards.
An 85-year-old man of Indiapara, identified as Abul Kashem, was seen riding on a bicycle without face cover on the road in Bangladesh.
Also Read New variant may be behind Covid surge in Bangladesh: Experts
Abul said “I have been living in Indiapara for the last several years and I have visited Badga Bazar in India for shopping. But now we have refrained from going to Bagda Bazar due to Covid-19 situation. I have many relatives in Bangladesh and I used to move in Bangladesh from my childhood like this.”
Tariqul Islam, a resident of Doulatpur, said “We have heard that Covid-19 has grappled the Bagda Bazar and other villages along the border. As a result, the Covid-19 may spread among the residents of Indiapara.”
Abdul Karim, another resident of Andulia village in Chougachcha upazila, said “I have a land along the village of Doulatpur and Indiapara and I visited my land everyday for work purpose and we are now concern about the movement of the residents of Indiapara as the Covid-19 may spread to our country.”
Tota Mia, a resident of Doulatpur village and chairman of Sukhpukuria union, said “There is a small village of India inside our country and we are concerned about the Indian variant. The residents of Indiapara have been asked to refrain from going other areas adjacent to Bangladesh.”
Read 10-year-old India returnee tests positive for Covid in Jashore
However, the residents of Daulatpur also asked to refrain from making any contact with the people in India, he said.
Subedar Shahinur Rahman of BGB-49 Andulia camp, said “We kept a vigil about the new strain of Covid-19 in India and we have strengthened our security to check movement of any people coming from Indiapara.”
On May 17, the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) announced that the Indian variant was found in six Covid-19 patients in Bangladesh.
Two cases of the Indian Covid-19 variant were detected at the Genome Centre of Jessore University of Science and Technology for the first time on May 8.
Read Woman kept under quarantine dies in Jashore
Earlier that day, the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) confirmed the first case of Indian coronavirus variant in Bangladesh.
The Indian strain of the virus was detected in a sample test at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka and it has been published on Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID), said chief scientific officer of IEDCR ASM Alamgir.
India’s crematoriums and burial grounds are being overwhelmed by the devastating new surge of infections tearing through the country with terrifying speed, depleting the supply of life-saving oxygen to critical levels and leaving patients to die while waiting in line to see doctors, reports AP from New Delhi.
According to the World Health Organisation, the Indian COVID variant has already spread to 60 countries across the world.
Read 7 who fled Covid facility in Jashore arrested, later released on bail
Covid patient infected with Indian variant held in Chandpur
A Bangladeshi man who fled Jashore hospital after testing positive for the Indian variant of Coronavirus last week was detained from Chandpur on Wednesday.
Younus Gazi, 28, a resident of Cahrrampur village, was held from the district’s Bipinbag area in a drive conducted by a team of Faridganj police led by Officer-in-Charge Md Shahid Hossain.
Also read: Covid-19: Three more cases of Indian variant reported in Bangladesh
Three of Gazi’s family members, including his mother, were admitted to the Isolation Ward of Faridganj Upazila Health Complex under police surveillance, Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Ashraf Ahmed Chowdhury said Thursday.
“Samples were collected from them today for testing,” he said.
Also read: Indian Variant: The New Concern
Ten coronavirus patients fled from the Jashore District Government Hospital on April 24 and 25. Six of them, including Gazi, had returned from India.
Police caught all 10 patients on April 26 and brought them back to the hospital.
Also read: Indian variant couldn't spread much: Health Minister
Gazi managed to flee from there on May 13 while he tested positive for the Indian variant of the virus.
10-year-old India returnee tests positive for Covid in Jashore
A 10-year-old boy, who returned from India with his mother and maternal uncle on May 5, has tested positive for Covid-19.
The child, a cancer patient, was admitted to the dedicated Covid care facility at Jahsore General Hospital on Wednesday night, said Sharsha Upazila Health officer Dr Yusuf Ali.
Read:11 more India returnees test positive for Covid-19
The boy had gone to India for treatment, along with his mother and maternal uncle. On May 5, the trio returned home through Benapole Port and were sent to Jashore Quarantine Centre.
"Following government directives, the samples of the three were sent for testing and the report came on Wednesday night. Only the boy has tested positive for Covid-19," said Sheikh Abu Shahin, Jashore Civil Surgeon.
Meanwhile the 14-day mandatory quarantine period of the family is now over and the local administration has provided a release order to the boy’s mother and uncle.
As India has been experiencing a new strain of Covid-19, the government imposed restrictions along the border areas of Bangladesh. According to the World Health Organisation, the Indian variant has already spread to 60 countries across the world.
Read:36 India returnees sent to Cumilla for institutional quarantine
Bangladeshi citizens currently travelling to India for treatment and having visas with validity for less than 15 days could enter Bangladesh only through Benapole, Akhaura and Burimari after taking permission from Bangladesh diplomatic missions in New Delhi, Kolkata, and Agartala, and with a mandatory Covid-negative certificate.