Moulvibazar
Tragic death of teenage domestic worker sparks outrage and demands for Justice
In a heart-wrenching incident, Preeti Urang, a 15-year-old girl from Mirtinga village in Moulvibazar's Kamalganj upazila, died after a fall from the eighth floor of a building in Dhaka's Mohammadpur area. Her father, Lokesh Urang, expressed his profound grief, stating that poverty had driven them to send her to work as a domestic helper in the capital.
While speaking to UNB at the Mirtinga Tea Estate, Lokesh recounted the devastating return of his daughter's body from Dhaka. Preeti had been employed at the residence of The Daily Star Executive Editor Syed Ashfaqul Haque in Mohammadpur, where the tragic incident occurred on February 6.
Lokesh, a day laborer and a father of four, lamented the loss of Preeti, revealing the family's struggle to make ends meet by fishing and selling their catch. Nomita Urang, Preeti's mother, disclosed that they were initially offered Tk 10,000 when her daughter was employed, but she and her husband suggested it be saved for Preeti’s marriage. Following Preeti's death, only Tk 5,000 was provided, Nomita said.
Read: Preeti’s death at journalist’s house: Parents demand justice
Dhana Bauri, local unit president of the Bangladesh Tea Workers Union, acknowledged the family's dire financial situation. Ram Bhajan Koiri, former general secretary of Bangladesh Tea Workers Union and vice-chairman of Kamalganj union parishad, criticized the exploitation of tea garden workers by influential individuals, calling for clarity on the circumstances leading to Preeti's death.
The local community, deeply affected by the tragedy, has staged protests demanding a fair investigation and justice for Preeti, who had been isolated from her family during her two-year employment.
Following the incident, Lokesh initiated legal action against Ashfaqul and his wife Tania Khandaker under section 304 (ka), leading to their incarceration after the court denied their bail petitions. The court has since permitted police to conduct a three-day interrogation at the jail gate.
In a recent development, a Dhaka court granted a four-day remand for both Syed Ashfaqul Haque and his wife Tania Khandaker, intensifying the quest for answers and accountability in this tragic case.
Read more: 'Unveil true circumstances of Preeti's death': Domestic Workers Rights Network
Environment Minister Md Shahab Uddin elected MP for the fourth consecutive time
Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin has been elected MP from Moulvibazar-1 constituency for the fourth consecutive time.
Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque wins in Tangail-1
He was elected with 1, 36, 308 votes where his nearest rival Md Atiqur Rahman of Jatiya Party bagged 3,098 votes.
Shahab Uddin was elected MP for four consecutive terms with the boat symbol in the 2008, 2014, 2018 and 2024 elections. He was also elected MP in 1996.
Trinamool BNP's Taimur loses security deposit
The constituency, which consists of Barlekha and Juri upazilas of Moulvibazar, has a total of 112 polling centres. The voter turnout was 46.22 percent today.
Tipu Munshi wins Rangpur-4
Lawachara National Park Travel Guide: Evergreen forest in northeastern Bangladesh
Lawachara National Park is a prominent national park in Bangladesh. The park is known for its extensive forest reserves with diverse flora and fauna in and around it. Being a national park, Lawachara is a must-visit place for anyone traveling around Sreemangal and Moulvibazar. Here’s everything you need to know about touring the famous natural reserve of Bangladesh.
Where is Lawachara National Park?
Lawachara National Park is situated in Kamalganj upazila of Moulvibazar district. The park used to be part of the greater West Bhanugach Reserved Forest area until its establishment as a national park. The reserved forest covers approximately 27.4 sqkm of land of which Lawachara covers around 12.5 sq km.
The northeastern region of Bangladesh is known for the large deciduous trees indigenous to the region (as a secondary forest). Likewise, Lawachara thrived as a semi-evergreen forest biome with a deciduous forest biome.
Read more: Best Rustic Resorts and Campsites near Dhaka
'Operation Hillside' in Moulvibazar: 10 operatives of newly formed militant group detained, CTTC says
Members of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit have detained 10 suspected operatives of the newly formed militant outfit ‘Imam Mahmud’s Kafela’ after conducting ‘Operation Hillside’ at a hideout in a remote hilly area in East Taktiuli village under Kulaura upazila of Moulvibazar on Saturday (August 12, 2023).
Three children were also rescued from the hideout during the drive.
The detainees are Shariful Islam, 40, his wife Amina Begum, 40, their 20-year-old daughter Habiba Binte Shariful, of Satkhira’s Tala upazila; Hafiz Ullah, 25, of Kishoreganj’s Itna upazila; Khairul Islam, 22 and his wife Meghna, 22, of Narayanganj’s Fatullah upazila; Rafiul Islam, 22, of Sirajganj’s Kazipur upazila; Shapla Begum, 22, wife of one Abdus Sattar of Pabna’s Atgharia upazila; Maisha Islam, 20, wife of Sohel Tanjim Rana of Natore; and Sanjida Khatun, 18, wife of Sumon Miah of Bogura’s Shariakandi upazila.
Read: Five suspected members of new militant outfit Jama'atul Ansar heldMd Asaduzzaman, chief of CTTC unit and additional commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), at a press briefing following the operation in Kulaura upazila at around 11 am said they detained four men and six women and rescued three children from the hideout.
He said the detainees are members of the newly formed militant outfit ‘Imam Mahmud’s Kafela’.
The CTTC chief said they have also recovered 2.5 kg of explosives, 50 detonators, training manual, combat boots, militant books, locally-made sharp weapons, Tk 3,61,000 in cash and ornaments from the hideout.
Asaduzzaman said they had information that a militant outfit had set up a hideout on one of the hills in the district and was recruiting new members.
The CTTC chief said they came to know the name of the mastermind of the militant group from the detainees and drives are now on to nab him.
Read: Training commander of Jamatul Ansar, 8 other militants arrested in Bandarban: RAB
Earlier on Friday night, the CTTC members accompanied by district police cordoned off a building in the village.
Later this morning, the CTTC unit initiated the operation to neutralize any potential risk stemming from the hideout.
Local Union Parishad Chairman Muhibul Islam said the detained suspected militants are residents of other districts and they have been living in the area for the past two months after constructing a house in the remote hilly area.
Read more: Rab DG calls escape of two militants a 'failure'
BNP-AL clash in Moulvibazar: 20 including former BNP MP Naser injured
At least 20 people, including Moulvibazar district BNP President and ex-lawmaker from Moulvibazar-3, M Naser Rahman, were injured in a clash between Awami League and BNP over BNP's human chain programme in Moulvibazar on Saturday.
The injured were treated at various local private clinics.
Foyzul Karim Mayun, former mayor and vice-president of Moulvibazar district BNP, said during the preparations for their human chain in front of Kashinath Alauddin High School and College in the town around 1pm, activists of Chhatra League and Jubo League attacked with indigenous weapons, leaving 15 of their leaders and activists injured.
Syed Rezaul Karim Sumon, former general secretary of District Jubo League, said: "We were holding a peace march from Shaheed Minar as part of the central programme. Suddenly, someone threw a brickbat in the procession igniting the clash."
Later, brickbat pelting started between the two sides.
Five Chhatra League and Jubo League members were also injured in the clash.
Two vehicles were also vandalised during the clash.
Ariful Haque Chowdhury, Sylhet City mayor and central BNP executive member, was the chief guest in the human chain which was organised as a part of BNP's country-wide programme with 10-point demands, including the protest of abnormal increases in electricity price, price hikes of daily necessities, elections under a non-partisan neutral government by abolishing the current parliament and unconditional release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.
On information, police rushed to the spot and brought the clash under control, said Hasan Mohammad Naser Rikabder, additional superintendent of Moulvibazar police.
"Culprits will be identified after watching the video footage and action will be taken against those involved in the clash," he added.
Read more: BNP announces rally in all cities on March 18
Tea workers continue strike for Tk 300-a-day wages
The workers of the country’s 167 tea plantations, including 92 in Moulvibazar, continued their indefinite strike for the 17th day Thursday demanding that they are paid Tk300-a-day wages instead of the current Tk120.
On Thursday afternoon workers from Dewrachara, Premnagar, Majdihi ,Hamidia and some other tea gardens blocked Berir Par intersection of Dhaka-Moulvibazar regional highway and staged rally for around an hour to press for the pay hike.
The workers came to Moulvibazar sadar area from their repective gardens with protest processions, while workers in several other gardens also staged rallies.
Also read: Tea garden workers continue strike in Sylhet
The protesting workers said they will not withdraw their strike they launched on August 9 until the prime minister announces Tk 300 daily pay for them.
However, the district administration and police held meetings with Panchayet committees of the plantations in their continued bid to convince the workers to return to work.
The movement started on August 9, when workers from 241 tea gardens of the country abstained from work for two hours, demanding Tk 300 as daily wages. As their demand was not met, they decided to go on a full-scale strike from August 13.
After holding meetings with tea garden owners and other stakeholders in the past two weeks, the tea workers’ union agreed to resumption of work from Monday and get Tk 120 as wages for the time being, but that was rejected by the general workers.
Also read: Moulvibazar tea workers resume strike defying union leaders’ decision
The ongoing strike is the continuation of the previously declared movement by the tea garden workers.
Moulvibazar tea workers resume strike defying union leaders’ decision
Tea garden workers in Moulvibazar resumed strike Tuesday noon disobeying the decision of the leaders of Bangladesh Tea Workers Union.
Most of the workers in different upazilas joined work Monday morning upon assurance from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to settle the issue. Later, a group of workers brought out a procession abstaining from work at noon for raising their wage to Tk 300 from Tk 120.
Workers said that they didn’t see or hear PM’s directive regarding wage hike on television. “The leaders are asking us to join work in the name of the Prime Minister,” said Aban Tanti of Sreemangal Kalighat tea garden.
Tea workers blocked railway track in School Choumhani area in Kulaura upazila and Moulvibazar-Kulaura regional road around 4 pm today.
The agitated workers stopped the Sylhet-bound ‘Paharika Express’ train, snapping the country’s rail communication with Sylhet for an hour.
Later, they withdrew their blockade after an hour on request of Kulaura Upazila Administration, Municipality Mayor, Kulaura Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC).
Besides, the workers in Lachna area of Sreemangal demonstrated on Dhaka-Moulvibazar road in front of Sreemangal Labor House and in various tea gardens including Maulvi tea garden in Samsher Nagar and Kamalganj upazilas.
Santan Raghav Goala, a worker of Sreemangal Khaichra tea garden, said, “Why did we go on a strike for so long if we have to return to work with the previous wage?”
Dilip Bhuiya of the same garden said they will not return to work until PM’s announcement on fixing daily wage at Tk 300.
Meanwhile, workers in Kulaura, Baralekha, Juri, Rajnagar Kamalganch upazila joined their work at various tea gardens and were seen working in the gardens spontaneously, said Javed Ali, assistant manager of Kulaura Gazipur tea garden.
Bijay Hazra, organising secretary of tea workers union said, “We are joining work. I hope the Prime Minister will consider our demands soon.”
Read:Tea workers: Chasm opens up over 3am deal signed without workers' knowledge
Moulvibazar: Three to hang for war crimes
The International Crimes Tribunal in Moulvibazar on Thursday sentenced three men to death for their involvement in crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War.
The three-member Tribunal, led by Justice Md Shahinur Islam, handed down the punishment to Abdul Aziz alias Habul, Abdul Mannan alias Monai and Abdul Matin, after holding them guilty of murder, rape, looting, arson, torture and kidnapping. Of them, Matin was tried in absentia.
Also read: Dhaka urges London to repatriate convicted war criminals
Lawyers M Sarwar Hossain and Abdus Sattar Paloyan appeared for the convicts, all residents of the district, while prosecutors Muklesur Rahman Badal and Sabina Yasmin Khan Munni represented the state.
According to the prosecution, the investigation agency of the tribunal started a probe against the three convicts on October 16 in 2014.
On November 14 in 2016, the investigation was completed. On February 29 of that year, the tribunal issued arrest warrants against the three.
Also read: 6 war crimes suspects held in Jashore
Police arrested Abdul Mannan and Abdul Aziz on March 1 of the same year. On the following day, the two were produced before the Tribunal and sent to judicial custody.
In November 2016, the tribunal's investigating agency submitted the chargesheet against the three accused. On May 15 of the year, the tribunal framed charges against them and started the trial.
3 children killed in Moulvibazar landslide
Three children were killed on Saturday in a landslide in Kulaura upazila of Moulvibazar district.
The deceased were Sumon Mia,13, son of Taslim Mia, Kabir Ahmed,10, son of Abdul Karim, and Nahid Ahmed,12, son of Abus Salam from Islamnagar village in ward-3 of Bhatera union in the upazila, said Syed Najrul Islam, Bhatera UP chairman.
READ: Death toll in India landslides rises to 46
A chunk of mud from a Ghagrachara hill fell on the children around 1 pm at Bhatera rubber forest area when they got into a hole after seeing a bird’s nest, said a local named Shahed Mia.
Locals rescued them after spotting a hand of one child in the debris, he said.
They were immediately taken to upazila health complex where doctors announced them dead.
Sanjay Chakraborty, Officer-in-Charge of Kulaura police station, said they visited the spot after being informed by locals.
Elephant calves being tortured in the name of training: Court directs legal action
A Moulvibazar court on Monday directed the Forest Department to take legal action against what it described as the 'torture' of elephant calves under the guise of 'training' at Kchaital area in Juri upazila.
Chief Judicial Magistrate Court Judge Muhammad Ali passed the order after studying video footage of torture on Youtube and news published in different newspapers.
Also raed:Two land in jail over killing Asian elephant in Sherpur
The court also issued a rule as to why inactivity of Officer-in-Charge of Juri police station and a divisional forest officer of Wildlife Management & Nature Conservation Division to prevent torture on elephants according to Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act, 2012, and Animal Welfare Act of 2019, should not be deemed illegal.
The court asked the respondents to submit a reply within 15 March on why proper legal actions will not be taken against them.
Also raed: Elephant killings must be stopped: Environment Minister
Elephant calves are domesticated following an age-old training process known as ‘Hadani’. During the training the calves are kept tied with a log apart from their mother. The cubs are mercilessly tortured and are not given foods regularly during the period.