Chattogram, May 21 (UNB) - At least 12 shops were gutted as a fire broke out at KB Bazar in Banshkhali upazila early Tuesday.

Lotin Basnu, chief of Banshkhali fire service, said the fire originated at the bazaar under Boilchhari union in the early hours.

On information, a fire-fighting unit rushed in and doused the blaze after half an hour.

The victim shop owners claimed that the extent of loss caused by the fire will be around Tk 1.50 crore. 

The reason behind fire could not be known.

Kushtia, May 21 (UNB) – A tribunal here on Tuesday sentenced the head teacher of a secondary school in Meherpur in a case for violating a Christian teacher of the school in a residential hotel in 2016.

The convict is Shariful Islam, the headmaster of Amrokanon Secondary School in Mujibnagar upazila of Meherpur district.

The court also fined him Tk 1 lakh and in case of failure to pay the penalty, he will have to serve six months more in jail.

According to the prosecution, Shariful came to the district town of Kushtia on May 13, 2016 along with the female teacher for teachers’ registration examination.

They rented two separate rooms at Al-Amin Hotel in Boro Bazar introducing them as uncle and niece.

However, Sharif entered the teacher’s room around 7:30pm and violated her. Then, he fled the hotel.

Being rescued by the hotel staff, the victim was admitted to Kushtia General Hospital.

Later, she filed a case with Kushtia Model Police Station.

After examining all the records and witnesses, Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Munshi Md Asiar Rahman handed down the verdict.

Madaripur, May 21 (UNB) – A 54-year-old policeman has been arrested for throwing a teenage girl out of his house through the ventilator reportedly after raping her.

Police arrested Muktar Hossain, a constable, after victim’s uncle filed a case with Sadar Police Station on Monday night, said Quamrul Hossain, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station.

The constable has been residing with his wife at a rented house in TB Clinic area of the district town. He called the 16-year-old girl to his house in absence of his wife at 8pm on Sunday and violated her. 

Hearing her screams, locals rushed in and confined the constable to his own house. At one stage though, he threw the girl out of his house through the ventilator.

Later, the constable was withdrawn and attached to the district police lines as the news spread around. 

Besides, a probe body was formed headed by Badrul Alam Mollah, additional superintendent of police (Sadar Circle), to look into the matter. 
 

Gazipur, May 21 (UNB) – Show-cause notices have been served on 14 officials and employees of Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) over corruption charges.

GCC Mayor Jahangir Alam came up with the information at a press briefing at Nagar Bhaban on Tuesday morning.

He said if there is no satisfactory reply from them within the next 24 hours, they will be suspended.

Earlier, the ‘corrupt’ officials and employees were verbally warned.

Cumilla, May 21 (UNB) – Locals formed a human chain in Debidwar municipality on Monday protesting a Tk 27 lakh cheque dishonour case against a rickshaw-puller.

The human chain was formed on the Bakhrabad Gas Field link road at Marichakanda village around 11am.

Marichakanda ward Awami League president Momin Uddin Bhuiyan and local Jubo League leader Nasim, among others, joined the programme.

Speakers said Rojina Akhter, wife of expatriate M Billal Hossain of Marichakanda village, took two blank cheques from rickshaw-puller Mohammad Rubel, son of late Abdul Barek of the village, making him guarantor for taking loan from Prime Bank Ltd.

Rubel came to know from a notice received from the court on April 4 that he was accused in a case filed for bounced cheques for Tk 27.40 lakh, brewing resentment among locals.

Although arbitration was convened to settle the issue, Rojina did not turn up. Later, Rubel also filed a fraudulence case against Rojina.

Local Rafiqul Islam said Rubel first declined to give cheques to Rojina. Later, he signed the cheques in front of me. “I heard after several days that Rojina filed a case against Rubel.”