Sylhet
BPL 2023: Rangpur Riders get back to winning ways
The Rangpur Riders secured their third win of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2023, with a 55-run victory over the Chattogram Challengers on Monday in Dhaka.
BPL has made its return to Dhaka after a long stint in Chattogram. During this phase in Dhaka, a total of four matches will be played before the league moves on to Sylhet.
The Challengers won the toss and opted to bowl first. The Riders posted a challenging total of 179/6 in their allotted 20 overs.
Opener Mohammad Naim got off to a steady start, scoring 34 runs off 29 balls, but the real star of the innings was middle-order batsman Shoaib Malik, who smashed an unbeaten 75 off 45 balls, including five fours and five sixes. Azmatullah Omarzai also contributed with a quick-fire 42 off 24 deliveries.
For the Challengers, Mehedi Hasan Rana picked up three wickets conceding 39 runs while Shuvagata Hom took two wickets.
The Challengers got off to a poor start in response, losing opener Usman Khan for 4 in the first over. Khawaja Nafay and Tawfique Khan also fell cheaply, leaving the Challengers in a precarious position at 21/3 in the third over.
Read more: BPL 2023: Who Can Win the 9th Bangladesh Premier League
However, a valiant 52-run knock by skipper Shuvagata and a quick-fire 24 runs from Ziaur Rahman kept the Challengers in the hunt, but in the end, it wasn't enough as they fell short by 55 run, scoring 124 losing all wickets in 16.34 overs.
Haris Rauf was the pick of the bowlers for the Riders, taking 3 wickets for 17 runs in his 4 overs, while Rakibul Hasan scalped two wickets.
Despite bowling a couple of overs while his team was fielding, Afif Hossain was unable to bat for the Challengers. A Challengers source has claimed that he fell ill during the break in between innings.
Riders now have 3 wins and 3 losses from their six games played, while Challengers have just 2 wins to go with 5 defeats after seven games played.
Read more: BPL 2023: Ticket prices for first phase revealed
Sylhet transport workers withdraw strike 5 hrs after enforcement
Five hours after enforcing an indefinite strike, Sylhet District Transport Oikya Parishad called off their strike on Monday upon assurance from the local administration about meeting their demand.
They went on strike demanding the release of Chhatra Dal leader Ali Akbor Rajon who was arrested in a sabotage case.
They withdrew their strike around 11am, said Mainul Islam, president of Bus-Minibus Workers' Union.
He said the transport strike has been suspended due to the assurance from the administration.
Read more: Indefinite transport strike in Sylhet from tomorrow
The transport services already resumed in the district.
On Sunday, Sylhet District Transport Oikya Parishad called for an indefinite strike starting from 6am today (Monday).
"Ali Akbor Rajon has been in jail for one and a half months as he was denied bail. The strike will continue until he is granted bail," Mainul added.
Rajon has been involved in the politics of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and he is the joint general secretary of Sylhet District Chhatra Dal.
Read more: BNP's Sylhet rally plagued with transport strike
He is also the joint general secretary of the Bus-Minibus Workers Union Committee.
On 7 December, 2022, police arrested Rajon from the Surma Market area of the town in a sabotage case lodged in 2018.
Indefinite transport strike in Sylhet from tomorrow
Sylhet District Transport Oikya Parishad has called for an indefinite strike starting from tomorrow (Monday, January 23, 2023) to demand the release of Chhatra Dal leader Ali Akbor Rajon who was arrested in a sabotage case.
Mainul Islam, president of Bus-Minibus Workers' Union, confirmed the announcement on Sunday (January 22, 2023).
The strike will extend throughout the division from Tuesday (January 24, 2023), he added.
During the strike, the movement of all vehicles including bus, minibus, cng-run auto rickshaw, leguna and truck will remain suspended, said the transport leader.
Read More: Dhaka court dismisses BNP’s complaint against DB chief, 9 others over ‘vandalising Nayapaltan office’
"Ali Akbor Rajon has been in jail for one and a half months as he was denied bail. The strike will continue until he is granted bail," Mainul added.
Rajon has been involved with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and he is the joint general secretary of Sylhet District Chhatra Dal.
He is also the joint general secretary of the Bus-Minibus Workers Union Committee.
On 7 December, 2022, police arrested Rajon from the Surma Market area of the town in a sabotage case lodged in 2018.
Read more: Sylhet fuel traders declare indefinite strike from Jan 18
Sylhet road crash: Death toll rises to 3
One of the injured in Friday afternoon's fatal road accident in Sylhet died at Osmani Medical College Hospital, raising the death toll to three from the accident.
Md Rezaul succumbed to his injuries around 8 am while undergoing treatment at Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital, said Rezaul Karim, officer-in-charge of Moglabazar police station under the Dakshin Surma upazila.
Earlier this afternoon, two people were killed and four others injured as a speeding truck crashed into a CNG-run autorickshaw in Dakshin Surma upazila of the district, police said.
Also read: 2 dead, four wounded in Sylhet road crash
The accident occurred around 4.30 pm when the speeding truck hit the autorickshaw from the opposite direction on Sultanpur-Gaharpur Road in the Battala area, leaving two people dead on the spot and others injured, added the OC.
The injured were rushed to Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital, he said.
Of them, the condition of Rozina was stated to be critical, the OC said quoting physicians.
The bodies have been kept at the hospital morgue for autopsies, the police officer added.
2 dead, four wounded in Sylhet road crash
Two people were killed and other four injured as a speeding truck crashed into a CNG-run autorickshaw in Dakshin Surma upazila of the district Friday afternoon, police said.
The deceased—autorickshaw driver Babul Miah, 65, and passenger Anhar Miah, 45, were from Charlapur area of Balaganj upazila in the district.
On the other hand, the injured passengers are Rezaul, Sona Miah, Rozina and Alamin. Details about them could not be known immediately.
Rezaul Karim, officer-in-charge of Moglabazar police station under the Dakshin Surma upazila, said the accident happened around 4.30pm when the speeding truck hit the autorickshaw from the opposite direction on Sultanpur-Gaharpur Road in the Battala area, leaving the duo dead on the spot and others injured.
The injured were rushed to Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital where they are undergoing treatment, he said.
Of them, the condition of Rozina was stated to be critical, the OC said quoting physicians.
Woman found dead inside Sylhet hotel room: Police
A 19-year-old woman was found dead in a Dakshin Surma residential hotel room Wednesday, police said.
However, hotel manager Jahir Miah, the former husband of the 19-year-old, went into hiding after the incident.
The deceased was identified as Nilima Begum Lily from Sylhet's Osmaninagar upazila.
Md Kamrul Hasan Talukdar, officer-in-charge (OC) of Dakshin Surma Police Station, said the two kept in touch despite their separation.
"We recovered the body from the first floor of 'Shapla Residential Hotel,' ramming the door of room No. 105 open after getting information from the hotel staff around 10.45am," he said.
The body was sent to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical Hospital for post-mortem, Kamrul said, adding that the body bore no injury marks.
"Police are looking for Jahir. The cause of Lily's death can be confirmed after investigation," the OC said.
Read more: 2 Ansar members found dead inside Agrani Bank in Narsingdi
Sylhet fuel traders declare indefinite strike from Jan 18
In light of the current fuel crisis, Sylhet's fuel traders will go on an indefinite strike from Wednesday.
Sylhet Divisional Committee of Bangladesh Petroleum Dealers, Distributors, Agents, and Petroleum Owners Association has announced the indefinite strike after an emergency meeting on Saturday.
According to their decision, traders will cease purchasing from the depot beginning next Wednesday (January 18) and cease selling to consumers from the following Sunday (January 22) for an indefinite period.
“The supply of fuel has long fallen short of the demand. The Sylhet oil traders have no choice but to protest,” said the speakers in the meeting.
According to Sylhet fuel traders, the district's oil pumps have been running low on fuel for a long time due to the irregular movement of railway wagons from Chattagram to Sylhet.
Previously, condensate (a mixture of light liquid hydrocarbons) obtained from Sylhet's gas fields was converted to petrol in multiple Sylhet plants. Since these government-owned plants were shut down, the condensate is now converted to petrol in Chittagong by a private plant.
The district's fuel traders claimed that depot officials' inaction caused the crisis.
"Authorities have repeatedly failed to supply fuel oil. They're just making excuses, and traders are suffering severe losses as a result. That is why we called a strike," said Jubaer Ahmed Chowdhury, Central Secretary General and President of Sylhet Divisional Committee.
Jubaer along with Humayun Ahmed, General Secretary, made the announcement.
UK announces additional support for flood-affected communities in Bangladesh
The United Kingdom has announced an additional £500,000 (Tk 60.6 million) in humanitarian support in response to last year’s flood in the Sylhet region of Bangladesh, in which 7.2 million people were affected.
Delivered by BRAC, this funding will provide water, shelter, livelihood opportunities, and improved nutrition for people affected in Sunamganj, Sylhet.
UK Development Director in Bangladesh, Matt Cannell, said last year’s devastating floods in the Sylhet region underline that Bangladesh remains vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
Also read: Flood situation worsens in parts of Sylhet
“This new funding provides vital water, nutrition, shelter and livelihood opportunities to some of the worst affected communities in Sunamganj, Sylhet. The UK is proud to partner with BRAC to deliver this support,” he said.
This new UK support will ensure safe water and shelter for nearly 1,000 affected households and restore livelihoods and food security for more than 5,000 affected households.
BRAC Executive Director, Asif Saleh, said the floods in northeastern Bangladesh, which affected over 7.2 million people in June 2022, were the worst to hit Bangladesh in the last two decades.
Read More: UK to strengthen trade, investment, digital economy ties with Bangladesh: Indo-Pacific Minister
“They left a trail of destruction in nine districts, with Sunamganj being the worst affected. Significant efforts were undertaken to provide emergency response to meet immediate needs, but sustained humanitarian support is direly needed to help people recover and rebuild their lives. This partnership between the British High Commission and BRAC will be crucial in standing beside the people in Sunamganj and being a partner in their journey to build back better,” he said.
E-gates at Sylhet airport to open for passengers today
The authorities of Sylhet Osmani International Airport have completed all preparations for opening six electronic gates at the airport to make the immigration process faster and improve the quality of services.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, lawmaker from Sylhet-1, will inaugurate the gates at 11 am, said Hafiz Ahmed, manager of the airport.
"Six e-gates will be inaugurated on Sunday (January 08, 2023). Three of them were set up for departure and three for entry," he added.
Read More: E-gates to be introduced at Chattogram airport
He also said the passengers who have e-passports will be able to complete the immigration activities through e-gate.
Plan to send 15 lakh workers abroad this year: Overseas Employment Minister
Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmed said on Friday (January 06, 2023) that the government of Bangladesh is planning to send 15 lakh Bangladeshi workers abroad this year.
“The labour market here is growing. A large labour market is emerging in China. Besides, workers are now going to Romania, Greece, Italy and we are also planning to send workers to Libya,” Imran said.
He urged the would-be expatriates to improve their skills and follow the proper procedures for going abroad.
Read: Investors’ financial literacy must to boost capital market: Commerce Minister
He made the remarks while speaking at the Sylhet, Chittagong, and Comilla divisional organizational conference of the Diploma Engineers Association in Sylhet.
MD. Ujjal Bakht, Vice President (Sylhet) of Education Engineering Department Diploma Engineers’ Association (EEDDEA), Saroj Kumar Nath, Joint Secretary (Development II) of Secondary and Higher Education Department, and Delwar Hossain Majumdar, chief engineer of Education Engineering Department, were among others in the conference.
Read More: Govt to honour expats through National Expatriate Day: Momen