Panchagarh, Sept 19 (UNB) – Local activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) reportedly stopped work on a model mosque in Tentulia upazila on Thursday as the contractor refused to give them Tk 20 lakh as toll.

They, led by Kazi Masfiqur Rahman Sakib, general secretary of upazila unit BCL, also beat the contractor, an engineer and workers, alleged contractor Nazmul Haque.

He said Sakib and his followers demanded Tk 20 lakh from him as he got the contract for constructing the mosque. “A group of 20-30 men, led by Sakib, came to the site in the morning and forced us to stop the work as we refused to give them money,” he said.

They also vandalised chairs, table and temporary houses built for the work and beat him and engineer Husain Md Safi Mondal and some workers, the contractor alleged.

Contacted, Sakib denied the allegation, saying, “We didn’t do anything like that. I don’t believe in extortion. But I wanted to manage work for my followers.”

Sadar union parishad Chairman Kazi Anisur Rahman, also Sakib’s father, also denied the allegation. “Some BCL leaders came to me to give them the scope to supply some materials for the project. That’s why they roam around the site.”

Husain Md Safi Mondal, deputy engineer of Panchagarh Public Works Department, said, the incident took place in his presence and he was also manhandled. “I informed the higher authorities of the incident,” he added.

Jahurul Islam, officer-in-charge of Tentulia Model Police Station, said he visited the spot after hearing the incident. “We’ll take legal steps after getting complaints,” he said.

The government initiated to set up some 560 model mosques across the country, aiming to develop and spread the Islamic values and culture.
 

Chattogram, Sept 19 (UNB) – Police here have arrested a couple for reportedly strangulating their 13-month-old nephew to death over family feud at Suipura village of Satkania upazila.

The detainees -- Nurul Absar, 35, and his wife Marufa Akhter, 20, are uncle and aunt of victim Shamim, son of expatriate Md Mamum of the village.

Officer-in-charge of Satkania Police Station Md Shafiul Kabir said victim’s mother Rina Akhter went outside to collect grass on Wednesday afternoon keeping her child with his grandmother.

Taking the chance, the couple took away the baby, strangled him and buried the body beside their tube-well.
   
Later, police recovered the body around 11pm and arrested the couple.

Chapainawabganj, Sept 19 (UNB) – Some miscreants severed a youth’s wrists at Ujirpur in Shibganj upazila here  early Thrusday. 

The victim has been identified as Rombel Hossain, 28, son of Khodabox of Ranihati bazar area in the upazila. 

Abdus Salam, uncle of the victim and a local Awami League leader, said Romel and Ujirpur Union Parishad chairman Foyej had been at loggerhead for long over establishing supremacy in a ferry ghat of the area.

Family soruces said when Rombel along with his two friends was returning home several people waylaid him near Ujirpur Beribadh and asked him to meet Ujirpur Union Parishad Chairman Foyej.

As he went to the chairman’s office his people covered his eyes and severed his wrists of both hands and left him near Beribadh area, they alleged. 

On information, family members rescued him and took him to Chapainawabganj Sadar Hospital. 

Atikul Islam, officer-in-charge of Shibganj Police Staiton, said the incident might have taken place following previous enmity but no complaint was lodged in this regard.

Munshiganj, Sept 19 (UNB) – An accident on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway left two motorcyclists dead on Thursday morning.

The deceased were identified as Zakir Hossain, 24, son of Mostafa; and Mohammad Miraz, 18, son of Mannan of Haziganj upazila of Chandpur.

Police said the accident took place at Alipura in Gazaria upazila.

Kabir Hossain Khan, in-charge of Bhaberchar Highway police camp, said Zakir and Miraz were critically injured when their motorbike skidded off the road after hitting a road island.

They were taken to Bhaberchar Upazila Health Complex where doctors pronounced Zakir dead and shifted Miraz to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).

Miraz was pronounced dead when he was taken to DMCH.

Narayanganj, Sept 19 (UNB) - A woman and her two daughters were hacked to death by miscreants at Siaikhoa in Siddhirganj upazila on Thursday morning.

The deceased were identified as Nasrin, 28, wife of Sumon Mia; and their daughters - Nusrat, 6, and Khadiza, 2.

Azizul Haque, inspector (investigation) of Siddhirganj Police Station, the incident took place at the fourth floor of a seven-story building.

Police recovered the bodies after being informed by Sumon and sent them to a local hospital.

Another victim was rescued from the spot and admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital with stab wounds.