United News of Bangladesh

The Khulna wing of Bangladesh Tank Lorry Owners Association on Thursday enforced a half-day strike to press home their six-point demand including an increase in transportation fares. The strike was observed from 8 am to 12 pm. Sheikh Sadi, organising secretary of Khulna Tank Lorry Owners Association, and Mir Moksed Ali, former president of the Tank Lorry Workers Union in the region, said the strike will continue for a week for four hours a day. In the second week, the strike will extend until 2 pm and a countrywide indefinite strike will begin from December 5 if the demands are not met, they said. Tank lorry owners refrained from loading fuel from Padma, Meghna and Jamuna fuel depots in Khalishpur’s Kashipur area and kept their vehicles parked at the depot gates. Winter fails to cool prices as Khulna kitchen markets see fresh hikes Tank lorries were also stationed along BL College Road, BIDC Road and in front of the Kashipur Tank Lorry Workers Union office. Fuel extraction and distribution from the depots came to a halt, disrupting supply across Khulna and 16 surrounding districts. The key demands include a fare increase, publication in the government gazette confirming that VAT will be paid by service recipients, inter-district route permits for all tank lorries, fitness clearance for vehicles deemed roadworthy, and extending the economic lifespan of tank lorries to 35 years, allowing those manufactured or registered up to 1990 to operate legally.

At least 100 rooms of a tin shed colony were destroyed in a massive fire that broke out in the Jorun area of Konabari in Gazipur. The fire started at 5 pm on Wednesday in a room of the colony and quickly spread to the surrounding rooms. Initially, locals tried to extinguish the fire, but as it intensified, they were unable to control it and called the fire service. Md. Saiful Islam, Inspector of Konabari Modern Fire Service Warehouse, said that two units of the Konabari Modern Fire Service responded to the incident. Later, two more units from Sarabo Modern Fire Service joined, and the fire was brought under control around 6 pm. No casualties have been reported. The fire service team could not immediately confirm the cause of the fire or the full extent of the damage. Rumel Pathan, the owner of the houses, said all 100 rooms of the colony were reduced to ashes, and it was impossible to salvage any belongings. Shah Alam, a garment worker, said, "I heard from my office that the house had caught fire. When I came home, I saw that everything was burnt to ashes. Nothing was left."

At least 50 people were injured in a three-day clash in Sirajganj municipality over local dominance. Among the injured, 26 were admitted to hospitals and clinics. Inspector (Investigation) Ahsanuzzaman of Sirajganj Sadar Police Station said, “Tensions had been building for a long time between youths of Malshapara and Hosenpur neighborhoods. The conflict started Sunday morning and continued until Tuesday midnight, involving repeated attacks, vandalism, and arson.” The clashes included the use of local weapons, batuls (metal rods), and DJ lights. Several houses, shops, and some windows of the district fisheries office suffered damage. Despite intervention by joint forces, fighting flared again, especially Tuesday night near Chand Ali Mor, causing panic in the area. Joint forces brought the situation under control after a three-hour operation, while police had to use tear gas and rubber bullets. Local leaders were instructed to prevent further clashes. Motorcycle race leaves 1 dead, another injured in Sirajganj Following the instructions, prominent residents began mediation efforts Wednesday morning, and law enforcement increased patrolling. Meanwhile, another clash broke out Tuesday night near Boropul Pashchim Chottor between two youth groups from Dhanbandhi and Bhangabari neighborhoods and several youths were injured. According to police, the fighting was triggered by a stabbing incident involving a youth named Sabbir.    

A mobile court on Wednesday sentenced a youth to six months in prison for beating his parents and setting fire to their house in Hatibandha Upazila of Lalmonirhat after they refused to give him money for drugs. The mobile court, led by Hatibandha Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Shamim Miah, handed down the sentence to Rahmat Ali, son of Aminur Islam of South Gaddimari in Singimari Union. UNO Shamim Miah said the youth was punished for violent behavior linked to drug addiction. According to police, Rahmat Ali beat his parents and set fire to their home on Tuesday night after failing to obtain money to buy drugs. Fire service personnel later brought the blaze under control. On Wednesday morning, Rahmat’s father Aminur Islam filed a written complaint with the UNO. Woman crushed under train in Lalmonirhat Police arrested Rahmat in the afternoon and produced him before the mobile court, where he confessed to assaulting his parents, taking drugs, and setting the house on fire. Following the confession, the court sentenced him to six months’ imprisonment. Mahmudun Nabi, officer-in-charge (OC) of Hatibandha Police Station, said the convict has since been sent to jail.  

Former Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) mayor Dr. Selina Hayat Ivy has been shown arrested in five more cases, including four of murder, related to the July Uprising. Two separate metropolitan magistrate courts passed the orders after hearing separate petitions, court police inspector Kaiyum Khan said. He said Senior Judicial Magistrate Selina Khatun heard the petitions related to four murder cases filed with Fatullah Police Station, while Senior Judicial Magistrate Maimanah Akter Moni conducted the hearing on a case filed by Sadar Police Station over obstructing government work and assaulting police. Ivy, who has been detained at Kashimpur Central Women’s Jail in Gazipur since her arrest on May 9 in one of the murder cases, joined the proceedings virtually. Although the hearings were initially scheduled for November 13, they were postponed due to the lockdown programme enforced by the banned Awami League. Police had earlier shown her arrested in four more cases after her detention. On November 9, a High Court bench granted her bail in all five cases. However, the following day, Sadar Model Police sought court permission to show her arrested in a separate case involving alleged assaults on police and obstruction of official duties. Fatullah police then filed petitions to show her arrested in four additional cases linked to the student movement casualties. Notably, Ivy is not a named accused in any of the five cases. On Wednesday, the Appellate Division’s Chamber Court stayed the High Court’s bail order. Senior lawyer Awlad Hossain, representing Ivy, argued that none of the arrested accused had implicated her and said the fresh arrest petitions were filed solely to delay her release. He stated that the defence would move the higher court against the orders.    

Three police personnel were on Tuesday withdrawn for their alleged inaction during a procession brought out by Jubo League protesting the death penalty against Sheikh Hasina in Basail Union under Sirajdikhan upazila of Munshiganj district. However, three people were detained in this connection. The rally was held around 9am at Imamganj Bazar in Basail union. A police patrol pickup arrived at the scene, but officers reportedly did not take any action to disperse the procession. Following a preliminary review, the district police ordered the withdrawal of Sub-Inspector Md Kamruzzaman and constables Md Shafik and Md Badsha to the district police lines. Officer-in-charge Abu Bakar Siddique of Sirajdikhan Police Station said police rushed to the spot upon receiving information about the rally. However, sensing the police vehicle, the participants fled before they could be detained. “As the officers failed to take effective action, they have been removed on instructions from the district police,” the OC said. Meanwhile, three individuals—Malkhanagar Union Jubo League president Mokbul Hossain Dewan, 54, along with Md Sohel Sheikh, 35, and Montu Bhuiyan, 30—were arrested in connection with the rally. Video footage of the procession quickly spread on social media, showing 25–30 people marching with banners of “Sirajdikhan Upazila Awami Jubo League” and “Munshiganj District Chhatra League,” chanting slogans and briefly delivering speeches. According to local sources, the Jubo League procession was led by Sirajdikhan Upazila Jubo League joint convener Jahirul Islam Litu, while the banned Chhatra League’s rally was led by Sheikh Shawon, former general secretary of Louhajang Upazila Chhatra League.  

A newborn boy found abandoned in a paddy field in Mithapukur, Rangpur, has died while receiving treatment at Rangpur Medical College Hospital. Locals found the baby crying under the open sky, prompting immediate rescue efforts. The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in Jarullapur village of Khoragachh Union. Abdul Karim, a local farmer, heard faint cries while walking past the field and, upon investigation, found the infant among the rice plants. Neighbors rushed to help, and with the assistance of several young residents, the newborn was taken to the hospital for urgent care. Dr. Khalid Bin Qasim, a pediatric specialist at Rangpur Medical College Hospital, confirmed the child’s death during treatment. The baby had injuries on his head and body and suffered from severe blood loss and other complications, which proved fatal despite medical intervention. Local sources suspect that the child was abandoned in the field during the night. The discovery of the newborn quickly drew attention in the area, causing widespread concern. Residents provided immediate first aid before transferring the baby to the hospital. News of the incident circulated widely on social media and in local media outlets, with several individuals and volunteer organizations expressing willingness to support the child’s future.  

Four more deaths were reported from dengue in 24 hours till Tuesday morning, raising the number of fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease in Bangladesh to 343 this year. During the period, 920 more patients were hospitalised with viral fever, raising the total infected-case to 86, 924 this year, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). According to the DGHS, new cases were reported as follows: 146 in Barishal Division (Out of CC), 116 in Chattogram Division (Out of CC), 147 in Dhaka Division (Out of CC), 211 in Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), 151 in Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), 72 in Khulna Division (Out of CC), 65 in Myemnsingh Division (Out of CC), two in Rangpur Division (Out of CC), and 10 in Sylhet Division (Out of CC). 5 more die of dengue; 1139 hospitalised in 24 hours Last year, dengue claimed the lives of 575 people. In 2023, 1,705 people lost their lives due to dengue, making it the deadliest year on record. The DGHS recorded 321,179 dengue cases and 3, 18,749 recoveries in the same year.

A group of protesters set fire to the house of former MP and suspended Awami League district general secretary Nizam Uddin Hazari in Feni town on Monday night. The incident took place around 8pm in the Masterpara area, shortly after the International Crimes Tribunal announced the death sentence of Sheikh Hasina. According to witnesses, the protesters set fire to the gate and boundary wall of the house. The building had already been destroyed during earlier attacks, so no new major damage was reported. The protesters chanted slogans demanding punishment for Hazari and others. They gathered wooden sticks and bamboo in front of the main gate and set them alight, though no one managed to enter the house. Muhaymin Tajim, former coordinator of the Students Against Discrimination (SAD) in Feni, said, “The administration has failed to take legal action over previous incidents of arson carried out by Awami League activists, including the attack on the July Martyrs’ Memorial. This inaction is encouraging repeated incidents. We are on the streets to resist it.” He demanded quick trials for those who attacked students in Feni, similar to the tribunal verdict against Sheikh Hasina. Another former coordinator, Omar Faruk, said that the attack on Hazari’s house was a response to the arson at the July Memorial. He also added that a similar verdict should be delivered against Nizam Hazari and also against Shushen. Shushen is the convener of the Feni municipality unit of the Awami League and a former upazila chairman. Earlier in the evening, protesters vandalised and defaced nameplates carrying photos and names of Awami League leaders near the Feni Government College gate. Security beefed up at ICT-1 chief’s home in Feni Md Shamsuzzaman, Officer-in-Charge  of Feni Model Police Station, said, “Police rushed to the spot after receiving reports of the fire and fire service teams extinguished the flames in front of the house. The situation is now under control. Only the gate was slightly burnt. There was no major damage.” The same house was attacked, looted and burnt on August 5 last year. Earlier on Monday, the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death for genocide committed during the July–August uprising.  

Gono Odhikar Porishad (GOP) General Secretary Rashed Khan on Monday urged the Indian government to either return convicted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Bangladesh or “take the entire Awami League to India.” “This verdict has proved that no matter how powerful a leader is, no one is above the law. India must now return the convicted Sheikh Hasina without delay, because the verdict was delivered in line with the law and constitution of Bangladesh,” he said while addressing a public meeting in the Hamdah area of Jhenaidah city. Rashed warned that if the Modi government believes it can maintain ties only with Hasina and her party instead of the people of Bangladesh, then “India should take the Awami League entirely to India and let them do politics there.” He said Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League “no longer have any right to do politics in Bangladesh,” adding that the party would not be able to return to the country “for the next fifty years.” He mentioned students who “sacrificed their blood and lives” during the movement would never allow the Awami League to regain political space. BNP ‘factional’ clash leaves 15 injured in Jhenaidah Describing the verdict sentencing Hasina to death as “historic,” Rashed Khan said it had restored the rule of law and judicial independence. He urged “innocent leaders and activists” of the Awami League not to fall into what he described as Hasina’s conspiracies “from abroad.” He thanked the interim government for gathering evidence of crimes including genocide and taking appropriate action. Leaders from various units of the Gono Odhikar Porishad were present at the event.