Gaibandha
Bodies of two youths found hanging from tree in Gaibandha
The bodies of two youths were found hanging from a tree in Pathandanga Majhipara village of Sadar upazila on Thursday morning.
The deceased were identified as Mrinal Chandra Das, 26, son of Ramchandra Das, and Sumon Chandra Das, 27, son of Nitai Chandra Das of the village.
Read:Ex-BCL leader killed in Gaibandha
Biswajit Kumar of the Sadar police station, said that Mrinal and Sumon left their homes two days back on the pretext of going to Dhaka. "But on Thursday morning, local people found their bodies hanging from a tree."
Police have sent the bodies to the local hospital morgue for post-mortem. Photos of three persons, a knife and a bag were also found near the bodies, the official said.
Read: Spurious liquor in Gaibandha kills 2 youths; five companions in hospital
The families of the two victims suspect foul play. "We have launched a probe," Biswajit said.
Probe into 7,000 disappeared fishplates from PWI store
A probe committee has been formed to look into the disappearance of 7,000 fishplates worth Tk 1 crore from the Permanent Way Inspector (PWI) store of Bonarpara Railway Junction in Gaibandha.
Officer-in-Charge of Bonarpara railway police station Taposh Pundit said disappearance of fishplates weighing 60 tons from a store at the east corner of the well secured Railway Engineering Department is a mysterious incident.
Bonarpara rail station manager Khalilur Rahman claimed former senior assistant engineer Akbar Ali had sold many things from the store of the engineering department secretly before his recent transfer.
Also read: Osmani airport incident: 2 probe committees formed
Immediately after his transfer assistant store keeper Dipak Kumar Singha and senior deputy assistant engineer Abdul Mazed came as additional in-charge who only used to come to Bonarpara for clearing salary bills, said Khalilur Rahman.
Tuesday morning, after coming from Bogura, Abdul Mazed opened the store and suspecting shortage of stock he started counting fishplates and discovered the disappearance, he said.
Abdul Mazed said he is only additional in-charge of the store. The fishplates may have been removed from the store during the tenure of former in-charge, he said.
Assistant store keeper Dipak Kumar Singha will file a case with the Bonarpara police station in this regard on Wednesday, he said.
Also read: Ferry hits Padma Bridge pillar: BIWTC forms probe committee
Divisional chief engineer of the railways department, Anwar Hossain said a probe body has been formed led by the Bogura divisional engineer Md Saidur Rahman to investigate the matter.
Actions will be taken against the guilty found in the investigation, he said.
Ex-BCL leader killed in Gaibandha
A former leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League's (BCL) Gaibandha Government College unit was killed in an alleged attack by a mango trader near Gaibandha Hawkers Market on Wednesday night.
The deceased was identified as Manjurul Hasan Likhon, 38, son of Mahabubur Rahman of the district town.
Read: AL activist hacked dead in Khulna
Abdur Rauf, officer-in-charge of Gaibandha Sadar police station, said on Thursday that Manjurul had an altercation with Sharif Mia, a mango trader, in front of the district unit office of BNP on Wednesday afternoon.
The altercation soon turned violent, but eventually ended with the intervention of local people. However, Sharif and his accomplices later attacked Manjurul when he came to the area again around 9 pm, leaving him critically injured.
Later, Manjurul was taken to Rangpur Medical College and Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival by doctors around 11.30 pm.
16-yr-old offered lift in Gaibandha, raped by two
A 16-year-old girl was allegedly raped by two men in the district's Sadar upazila on Monday night on the pretext of offering her a lift.
In her complaint, the girl claimed that she had a tiff with her mother over a small issue on July 12. Later in the evening, she left her house and went to Balua Bazar to take a bus to Dhaka.
As she was waiting near a bus ticket counter around 7pm, its in-charge and his assistant wanted to know from the girl why she was out on the streets during lockdown.
Read:Woman grazing livestock raped & killed in Rajshahi
When the girl told them that she wanted to go to the national capital, the duo immediately offered to arrange a microbus for her trip. The unsuspecting girl agreed to go with them and got into the vehicle without any hesitation, police said.
However, the duo allegedly took her to an abandoned house in the upazila on the pretext of wrapping up some unfinished work before heading to Dhaka and took turns to rape her.
The girl was later rescued by local residents, according to the police.
A case of rape has been filed at Sadar Police Station against the accused, Kasai Lal Mia and Bakul Prodhan, on the basis of the girl's complaint, said Mahfuzar Rahman, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station.
"Efforts are on to nab the two accused," he added.
Read: Robbers toss baby out of the house, rape woman in Bhola
Bangladesh's rape epidemic
Sexual assaults on women continue unabated in Bangladesh, despite the government introducing death penalty for rapes last year.
A police headquarters report, released recently, said that 26,695 rape cases were filed across the country in the past five years.
Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) data shows that 1,018 children were raped last year alone, but only 683 police cases had been filed. Also, 116 survivors were six years old or below.
Overall, 1,627 rape cases were reported last year and 53 of the women were killed by the perpetrators while 14 took their own lives, as per the data.
However, ASK's data is just the tip of the iceberg, according to aid agencies, who report that most women are too afraid to report rape.
Read: 21-yr-old visiting maternal home raped in Sylhet
In October 2020, the country was rocked by protests after a woman was allegedly attacked and raped in Noakhali.
In November last year, Bangladesh introduced capital punishment for rape, following days of protests against sexual violence against women in several cities across the country.
But human rights organisations say the move will not solve the country's rape crisis, as the survivors of the heinous crime are often stigmatised in the society.
2 cattle traders killed in Gaibandha road crash
Two cattle traders were killed and four others injured in a collision between a truck and a pickup van on Dhaka-Rangpur highway in Gobindaganj upazila of Gaibandha district early Monday.
The deceased were identified as Abdul Quddus and Moyej Uddin.
Read: Policeman 'killed' in Dhaka road accident
Arif Anwar, station manager of Gobindaganj Fire Service, said when a group of six cattle traders was heading towards Rangpur from Savar in a pickup van at around 7 am a truck coming from the opposite direction hit it.
The cattle traders fell on the road being hit by the truck and then another speeding truck ran over them.
Read:Narsingdi road crash leaves five dead
Moyez Uddin died on the spot. Faisal, Shukkur Haque, Tara Mia, Abdul Quddus and Mizan were rescued by the fire service men and taken to Gobindaganj Health Complex in critical condition where Abdul Quddus succumbed to his injuries.
2 children drown in Gaibandha pond
Two children drowned in a pond in Gobindaganj upazila of Gaibandha on Saturday.
The deceased were identified as Robiul,6 son of Yasin Ali and Shofiul, 5, son of Ayub Ali.
According to relatives, the kids were playing near a pond adjacent to their home in Dumurgacha village.
When they did not return home after a long period, the family members went to the pond and found their bodies floating on it.
Also read: College student drowns after jumping into river in Natore; body goes missing
Although locals recovered the unconscious body and took it to a nearby medical facility, the on duty doctors declared them dead.
The kids were presumably dead even before they were rushed to the hospital, witnesses told UNB.
Drowning in Bangladesh
Drowning is the leading cause of death for children under five in Bangladesh. According to Bangladesh Health and Injury Survery(BHIS), in Bangladesh nearly 17,000 children drown annually, an average of around 46 each day.
Also read: 4 children drown in Kishoreganj and Pabna
A cross-governmental taskforce was established on drowning prevention – led by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, with representation from 12 departments. The task force is working to prepare a ‘National Drowning Reduction Strategy’.
According to the WHO’s latest estimates, drowning is the cause of 235,000 deaths every year. Many countries including Bangladesh report drowning as a leading cause of childhood mortality, particularly in children under-5.
Gaibandha: 8-hr strike in protest against bizman's murder
Local residents in Gaibandha began an eight-hour strike on Thursday in protest against the murder of a businessman in the district.
On April 20, Hasan Ali, the businessman, was found dead in the house of Masud Rana, an Awami League leader in the Khanka Sharif area of the district.
Read: Out to relieve herself, woman kidnapped & gang raped in Gaibandha
Moments before his death on the fateful day, Hasan sent an SMS to one of his relatives, alleging that Masood had abducted and tortured him, and also made him sign some papers in the presence of local policemen.
The strike in protest against the killing began at 6 am and will remain in force till 2 pm. All shops in the area remained shut, while rickshaws and long-distance buses stayed off the roads.
A group of protesters brought out a rally in the rail gate area of the district town in the morning, demanding justice for Hasan.
Members of some political parties, businesses and socio-cultural organisations held various programmes in protest against the murder.
Read: Action against 3 cops after businessman killed in Gaibandha
'Hasan Killing Protest Mancha’, a group, gave the strike call. Their demands include justice for Hasan's family and immediate removal of the officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station Mahfuzur Rahman.
On the basis of the businessman's text message, police lodged an FIR the same day and arrested Masud and recovered the body. The victim's wife subsequently filed a complaint at the local police station against Masud and footwear traders Rumen Haque and Khalilur Rahman Babu.
In her complaint, the victim's wife alleged negligence on part of two police officers.
On April 11, SI Muhammad Touhidul Islam formed an investigation committee to probe the murder. The panel has ASI Rahat Gawhari as convener, ASI (headquarters) Abul Khair and Inspector (D-1) Abdul Latif as members.
Read: Trader found dead at Gaibandha AL leader’s house
Masud has been suspended by his party.
Besides, two police officers have been suspended while another was served a show-cause notice.
Action against 3 cops after businessman killed in Gaibandha
Two police officers have been suspended and another was asked to show cause in connection with the kidnapping and death of a businessman in Gaibandha.
On Tuesday evening, OC Mojibur Rahman and SI Musharraf of Gaibandha Police Station were given suspension notice from the police headquarter upon investigation report.
OC Mahfuzur Rahman of the same police station was issued a show cause notice.
Shoe trader Hasan Ali on March 5 was abducted by local money lender and district Awami League deputy office secretary Masud Rana.
On April 10, Hasan Ali was found dead in the toilet of Masud’s house.
Before his death Hasan told his relatives in a text message that Masood Rana had abducted, tortured him and took false bonds from him in the presence of the police.
On the basis of the text message, police that day arrested Masud Rana and recovered Hasan’s body.
The deceased’s wife Bithi Begum, filed a case against Masud Rana and footwear traders Rumen Haque and Khalilur Rahman Babu.
She also brought charges of negligence of duty against two police officers in the case.
Immediately after the incident, people of Gaibandha demanded justice for Hasan Ali's murder.
Leaders and activists of political parties, businesses and socio-cultural organizations continued various programs in protest of the murder.
Masud Rana was suspended from his party post.
On 11 April, SI Muhammad Touhidul Islam formed an investigation committee with ASI Rahat Gawhari as convener, ASI (Headquarters) Abul Khair and Inspector (D-1) Abdul Latif as members.
The investigation report was submitted on 20 April (Tuesday).
Trader found dead at Gaibandha AL leader’s house
Police on Saturday recovered the body of a trader from the residence of a local Awami League leader at Narayanpur village in Sadar upazila.
Hasan Ali, 45, owner of a shoe store in the town, was found dead at the house of Masud Rana, deputy office secretary of Gaibandha district Awami League, said police.
Also read: Domestic help found dead at cop’s house in Keraniganj
District police superintendent Md Toudil Islam said Masud Rana was arrested after recovery of the body and the body was sent to hospital morgue for autopsy.
Locals said Masud Rana kept Hasan, who was also a money lender, confined to a room of his house since March 13 following previous enmity over money.
Preparation is underway to file a case, said the SP.
12 killed in Gaibandha, Faridpur as nor’wester lashes country
At least twelve people were killed in Gaibandha and Faridpur on Sunday when nor'wester and rain swept over different regions of the country.
In Gaibandha, 5 people died as they were crushed under collapsed tree and house due to the stormy wind and 5 more died later while undergoing treatment.
The deceased were identified as Abdul Goffar, Jahanara Begum, Moyna Begum from Betkapa union of Palashbari Upazila, Sheuli Akter from Fulchhari, Josna, Monir, Arjina, Sayra and the other person was unidentified.
Gaibandha Deputy Commissioner Abdul Matin said many houses collapsed and trees were uprooted during the storm in the afternoon. The victims were killed after being hit by uprooted trees and in house collapse.
Also read: Nor’wester destroys 250 houses in Bhola
Meanwhile, in Alfadanga of Faridpur, a mother and her four months old daughter were killed as a tree branch co on them.
The deceased were identified as Mst. Halima and her daughter Afsana from Bajitpur village of Modhukhali Upazila.
Inclement weather forced suspension of transportation in many places while the power supply was also disrupted until 5 pm in the district.
Meanwhile, the tropical storm, the first of the season, also hit the capital around 6:30pm and lasted for a few minutes, according to the Met Office.
Also read: Nor’wester kills one in Bogura
It recorded a wind speed of 68km per hour, said Meteorologist AKM Nazmul Haque.
The sudden rain caused widespread traffic chaos in the congested city, inflicting suffering on those returning home from work.
Meanwhile, the nor’wester swept over Rajshahi while rain and gusty wind hit Sylhet, Khulna, Jashore and Noakhali.
Met Office has also forecast rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty or squally wind for one or two places over eight divisions in the next 24 hrs.
Also read: Nor’wester sweeps Joypurhat; 4 killed
The depression over North Andaman Sea and adjoining area moved north-northeastwards and weakened in to a well-marked low and then a low pressure area over North Andaman Sea and adjoining Myanmar coast, Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) said.
It is likely to become unimportant, BMD said, adding that a trough of Westerly low lies over West Bengal and adjoining area.
In a regular bulletin, the Met Office said a mild heat wave sweeping over the regions of Rajshahi, Pabna, Chuadanga, Kushtia and Rangamati may continue.
Day temperature may rise slightly and night temperature may remain nearly unchanged all over the country.