Satkhira
In Satkhira hamlet, no resting place for the dead
Arshad Ali Sana, a 78-year-old resident of Pratapnagar village in Ashashuni upazila, died at his residence last week due to old-age complications. He died at 11am on Friday, but it was another 12 hours before his family could bury him.
"We frantically searched for a proper burial place in the entire village for a good six-seven hours and then decided to build a concrete structure at the family graveyard to put the patriarch to rest. It was basically an above-ground burial," his son told UNB.
The reason behind the family's ordeal -- wet ground in Pratapnagar village that is making burials impossible, causing further anguish for bereaved families.
Also read Can shrimp farmers recover from Amphan-Yaas double blow?
Residents say that the entire village was inundated due to flash floods triggered by incessant rainfall under the impact of the devastating Cyclone Yaas. Though the flood water has started receding in some areas, it has rendered the ground wet.
Attempt on Sheikh Hasina: Bail of 7 convicts to remain stayed
The full bench of the Appellate Division led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain has upheld the stay order on bail to seven convicts in a case filed over the attack on motorcade of the then opposition leader and current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Satkhira in 2002.
The Bench passed the order on Monday after hearing the state's leave to appeal against the High Court's bail order.
Attorney General M Amin Uddin was in favour of the state while Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon was on the side of the accused.
The convicts are lawyers Abdus Sattar and Abdus Samad, Golan Rasul, Rakib, Zahirul, Shahabuddin and Monirul Islam.
READ: Humanity will overcome pandemic soon: Modi writes to Hasina
The High Court granted bail to the seven accused on May 25.
Following the hearing of the state's appeal against it, Chamber judge of the Appellate Division of the SC Justice Hasan Foez Siddique stayed the High Court order.
Besides, he sent the state's petition to its full bench.
On August 30, 2002, Sheikh Hasina's convoy was attacked on the Jessore-Satkhira road in front of the Kalaroa Upazila BNP office in Satkhira. After investigating the case, the police filed a chargesheet against 50 people, including former MP Habibul Islam, in 2015. According to the charges against the accused, the attack was carried out with the intention of killing Sheikh Hasina. Following the trial in this case, the Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court of Satkhira sentenced all the accused (50 people) on February 4.
READ: Govt’s focus is both on life and livelihood: Hasina
The verdict sentenced Habibul Islam and three others to 10 years imprisonment in several sections. The remaining 48 were given different terms (less than 5 years). Habib and other accused appealed to the Satkhira District Sessions Judge's Court against the sentence. They failed to get bail there and sought bail in the High Court.
Lockdown: People continue to defy health guidelines in Satkhira
The seven-day lockdown in Satkhira district entered the 2nd day on Sunday with people defying the health safety protocols amid risks of coronavirus transmission.
Though the members of law enforcement agencies have taken position in many important points in the district but no strict measures have been taken yet for defiance of health guidelines.
Read: Satkhira goes into lockdown for 7 days
People living in rural areas were seen moving without masks and the presence of people in the local markets is high.
The activities at Bhomra land port is normal as the port authorities have been allowed to continue their operation for 6 hours from 8 am tand reports of ignoring health guidelines were also found at the port.
The authorities concerned have issued red alert in the bordering areas of the district but allegations have been found that people are still crossing borders illegally in the night.
Read: Satkhira put under 7-day strict lockdown
According to the health authorities, a total of 339 people have been found infected with the virus in the district. Of them, 27 are undergoing treatment at Satkhira Medical College and Hospital, 26 at Sadar hospital while the rest 286 are taking treatment at home
So far, a total of 48 people have died of Covid-19 in the district while 250 people died with Covid-19 symptoms.
Authorities in Satkhira on Saturday imposed a week-long lockdown in the district, following a sudden spike in Covid-19 cases.
Read:Bangladesh puts Satkhira border areas on alert
The decision was taken to break the chain of coronavirus transmission after the positivity rate in the district was found to be 53 percent, officials said on Saturday.
Satkhira goes into lockdown for 7 days
Authorities in Satkhira on Saturday imposed a week-long lockdown in the district, following a sudden spike in Covid-19 cases.
The decision has been taken to break the chain of coronavirus transmission after the positivity rate in the district was found to be 53 percent, officials said on Saturday.
On Friday, two women, who were undergoing treatment at Satkhira Medical College and Hospital for Covid, succumbed to the virus, while three more persons with corona symptoms also died the same day.
READ: 6 Noakhali unions set for 7-day special lockdown at dawn
According to the administration officials, more Covid cases have been detected in three upazilas -- Sadar, Kalaroa and Kaliganj -- bordering India. The infection is on the rise in other upazilas too.
During the week-long lockdown, all modes of public transport will stay off the roads. However, the movement restrictions won't apply on vehicles providing emergency services.
Though kitchen markets will be allowed to operate from 9 am till 12 noon daily, other shops and markets will remain closed.
Activities at Satkhira Bhomra Land Port will continue for limited hours, from 8 am to 2 pm, but the shops and markets in the area will remain closed.
Covid-19 situation in Bangladesh
READ: Lockdown in 7 villages of Chuadanga
Bangladesh on Friday logged 1,887 new cases in 24 hours, after health authorities tested 18,151 samples. The fresh cases has raised the country's total case count to 807,867.
Also, the daily infection rate rose to 10.40% from Thursday's 9.94%, while the mortality rate remained static at 1.58%, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
READ: Lockdown extended in Rohingya camps, Teknaf upazila
Meanwhile, the country confirmed 34 more deaths during the same period, pushing up the fatality figures to 12,758.
Satkhira put under 7-day strict lockdown
The local administration has imposed a seven-day strict lockdown in Satkhira district to stem the spread of Covid-19 amid recent hike in infections in the frontier districts.
Civil Surgeon Dr Hussain Shafayat announced the decision on Thursday following a meeting of Covid-19 protection committee.
The lockdown will come into effect from on Saturday.
Also read: Bangladesh puts Satkhira border areas on alert
The positivity rate in Satkhira was 41% on June 1.
During the lockdown people will not be allowed to get out of their home unless there is an emergency.
Shopping malls, shops and restaurants will remain closed.
Vehicular movements to and from the district will also remain suspended.
Covid cases are growing alarmingly in Chapainawabganj, Rajshahi, Satkhira, Khulna, Kushtia, Jashore, Naogaon and Natore since the last week of May apparently for the prevalence of the highly transmissible Indian variant.
Amid the growing Covid-19 cases, health experts fear that Bangladesh’s frontier districts await a serious healthcare crisis as most hospitals and health complexes there are ill-equipped to cope with any worsening situation.
Nine more Covid patients die at Rajshahi hospital.
Also read: Lockdown in 7 villages of Chuadanga
As many as nine Covid-19 patients have died at Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital in the past 24 hours, health officials said on Thursday.
Deputy Director of Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital, Saiful Ferdous, said, “The nine patients were undergoing treatment at the hospital. They died after their condition worsened."
“Of the deceased, five were from Chapainawabganj district, two from Rajshahi, and one each from Naogaon and Pabna districts,” he added.
With the fresh deaths, the district's fatality count has reached 77 people since May 24.
Strict restrictions were imposed in Rajshahi, parts of Khulna and Naogaon districts.
The frontier districts of Bangladesh have adequate oxygen in their stocks to deal with Covid-19 patients, DGHS spokesperson Dr Nazmul Islam said on Wednesday.
“Although the Covid positivity rate in frontier districts is much higher than the rest of the country, there’s no need to panic as hospitals have adequate medical supplies alongside oxygen in their stocks,” said the spokesperson of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
2002 attack on Sheikh Hasina's motorcade: Stay on 7 convicts' bail extended
The Supreme Court's Appellate Division Sunday upheld its chamber judge's order that stayed the High Court bail to seven convicts in a case filed over the attack on the then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina's motorcade in Satkhira in 2002, and extended it till June 20.
The court also asked the state to file a leave to appeal in this connection within this time. Also, the Appellate Division has fixed June 20 for the hearing on the leave to appeal.
A full bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain passed the order Sunday after hearing the state's appeal.
READ: Attack on Sheikh Hasina: SC stays bail of 7 accused
Attorney General AM Amin Uddin represented the state while Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon stood for the convicts.
On May 25, the High Court granted bail to seven convicts in the case – Abdus Sattar, Abdus Samad, Golam Rasul, Rakib, Zahirul, Shahabuddin and Monirul Islam.
However, on May 27, the Appellate Division's Chamber Judge Justice Hasan Foez Siddique stayed the bail order until today.
READ: Attack on Hasina: 43 convicts file petition challenging lower court verdict
On August 30, 2002, the then opposition leader and incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's convoy came under attack as she was returning to Magura after visiting a freedom fighter's wife in Satkhira's Kalaroa.
Although Hasina survived the attack relatively unscathed, at least 12 people, including Awami League leaders and journalists, were injured, according to the case statement.
On September 2 of that year, former Kolaroa Awami League general secretary Moslem Uddin filed the case against 27 named and 70-75 unnamed accused.
The accused included several BNP leaders and activists in Satkhira. However, the case was later dismissed for not being recorded at the police station.
On February 4 this year, Satkhira Chief Judicial Magistrate Court convicted and sentenced 50 people in the case.
READ: 30 BNP men sent to jail over 1994 attack on Hasina in Pabna
Among them, 34 convicts who were present in the courtroom, were sent behind bars the same day; the others are running away.
Cyclone Yaas: Rebuilding effort on, impact yet to be fully assessed
Cyclone Yaas made landfall in eastern India on Wednesday morning but its impact is not over yet as a slight drizzle has been sweeping Satkhira district since Thursday morning.
A vast tract of low-lying land has been inundated, forcing people of different upazilas of the district to take shelter in a safer place.
Besides, hundreds of shrimp enclosures have been washed away by the tidal surge triggered by the Cyclone Yaas, incurring a huge loss to the farmers.
Read:Cyclone Yaas impact: 27 upazilas affected by storm surge
However, the local administration is yet to ascertain the loss caused by the cyclone.
Meanwhile, 44 points of an embankment including 24 points in Shyamnagar upazila, 12 points in Ashashuni upazila, five points in Kaliganj upazila and one point in Debhata upazila have been damaged by the tidal surge as tidal surge went up to to 8-9 feet above the normal tide.
The local people are still working to repair the embankment on their own initiative to save their lands and households.
Koikhali, Gabura, Padmapukur, Burigoalini, Munshiganj, Ramjannagar of Shyamnagar upazila, Pratapnagar and Sreula union of Ashashuni upazila are the worst affected areas as many areas have been flooded by the tidal surge on Wednesday.
Read: Cyclone Yaas: Unusual tides destroy Saint Martin's jetty
Already some 2500 people have taken shelter in 28 cyclone shelter centers as most of them have lost their dwelling houses.
SM Mostafa Kamal, deputy commissioner of Satkhira district, said “The work to repair the damaged embankment is going on in full swing from Wednesday afternoon and many more workers will join today to complete the work immediately.”
Already Tk 2.15 core cash has been disbursed and 163 metric tonnes of food are in stock to distribute among the cyclone-hit people, he said.
11 more India returnees test positive for Covid-19
Amid a concern over the Indian variant of coronavirus, eleven people, who returned home from India on May 5, have tested positive for Covid-19.
All the Covid-19 patients are now undergoing treatment at the isolation ward of Satkhira Medical College and Hospital.
Some 142 Bangladeshi nationals returned home from India on May 5 and the samples of all the returnees were collected for test.
Read:36 India returnees sent to Cumilla for institutional quarantine
Of them, 11 turned out to be positive for Covid-19 as the results came out on Tuesday night, said Satkhira Civil Surgeon Husain Safayet.
The others were kept at three quarantine centres in Satkhira and their quarantine period will be completed today.
However, the samples of the 11 Covid-19 patients will be sent to IEDCR for testing to know whether those are the deadly Indian variants.
Deputy Commissioner of Satkhira SM Mostafa Kamal said all the 11 Covid-19 patients were sent to the isolation unit of Satkhira Medical College and Hospital for treatment under special management.
Meanwhile, panic gripped the residents of Satkhira district town after hearing that the Indian returnees have been kept in different hotels in the district town.
Read:Covid-19: Three more cases of Indian variant reported in Bangladesh
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.
The 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 certificates done through PCR test within 72 hours of entry.
Ex-Satkhira Bar Association President arrested in DSA case
Former president of Satkhira District Bar Association Advocate Shah Alam was arrested under the Digital Security Act (DSA) on Sunday.
Alam and four other lawyers were sued by apprentice lawyer Liakat Hossain in the morning at Satkhira Sadar Police Station.
Other accused are- Advocate Shirajul Islam, Advocate Tariq Iqbal Topu, Advocate Shahedujjaman Shahed and Advocate Fuad Habib Tito.
Also read: DSA case: Workers’ leader Ruhul Amin gets bail
According to the case statement, on October 6 last year, the then president of the association Alam called Liakat to his chamber, physically assaulted him and hung a placard on his neck with the writing “I’m not a lawyer, I’m a cheat”.
Alam took photos of Liakat and posted it on his Facebook profile.
Also read: DSA case: HC grants bail to cartoonist Kishore
Meanwhile, On April 27, Alam was sued in another DSA case for making derogatory comments about public prosecutor Abdul Latif during a virtual hearing of a rape case on April 26.
Officer-in-Charge of Satkhira Sadar Police Station Delwar Hossain said Alam was produced before the court in the afternoon.
4 killed in two road accidents
At least four persons have been killed in two separate road accidents in Khulna and Satkhira in the past 24 hours, police said Saturday.