United News of Bangladesh

At least 20 people were injured in a clash over a long-standing land dispute in Magurhati village of Deodra, Sarail upazila, Brahmanbaria. Several homes were also damaged in the violence on Saturday morning. Police intervened to bring the situation under control. According to locals and police, the conflict has persisted for years between Shipon Mia and Dana Mia, members of the same community, over a plot of land. The dispute escalated on Friday evening with a chase between the two sides, and resumed on Saturday morning when both parties attacked each other with homemade weapons. Sarail police officer-in-charge (OC) Morshedul Islam Chowdhury confirmed the incident, stating that police arrived promptly to control the situation. He added that legal action will be taken if formal complaints are filed regarding the clash.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has detained seven Bangladeshis, including four women and three men, while they were attempting to enter India illegally at the Maheshpur border in Jhenaidah. According to a press release from Assistant Director of Maheshpur 58 BGB Battalion, Munshi Imdadur Rahman, the operation took place on Saturday around 5:30 pm. The detainees include Tufan (26), son of Monirul from Baghadanga village in Maheshpur, Dulali Mondal (67), son of Arjun Biswas from Kalinagar village in Muksudpur, Gopalganj, and Bikash Adhikari, son of Nimai Adhikari from Adhikaribari village in Agailjhara, Barishal. BGB said that a team led by Naib Subedar Tapas Kumar Sarkar of Khoshalpur BOP conducted a patrol near Border Pillar 60/86-R, during which Tufan and four Bangladeshis, including one man and three women, were detained. Separately, a patrol team from Kumillapara BOP, led by Nayek Md. Ahmed Ali, apprehended another individual attempting to cross into India near Border Pillar 60/52R. The detained women were sent to the Justice and Care Center in Jessore, while the men were handed over to Maheshpur police station. Maheshpur OC Nazrul Islam said cases will be filed against the men on Sunday for court proceedings.

A Cambodia-resident Bangladeshi expatriate was killed in a clash between two groups of villagers over a piece of land in Sadar upazila of Jhenaidah on Saturday. The deceased was identified as Mahbul Hossain, 40, son of Sabdar Biswas of Kala village. Mahbul recently returned home from Cambodia on leave. Abdullah Al Mamun, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station, said there was an enmity between the people of Kala and Laxmipur villages over leasing a piece of land. Batul Biswas of Kala village used to cultivate crops by leasing land from one Siraj Mia. Recently, Siraj Mia returned the lease money to Batul and demanded to return his land. But Batul Biswas refused to return the land until the crops were harvested since crops were being grown on that land. Village arbitration was held on Friday night where representatives from two villages were present there, which ended without any settlement. Later, the supporters of Batul Biswas and Siraj Molla, equipped with lethal weapons, attacked each other around 10 am at Kala-Laxmipur field. At one stage, the supporters of Siraj hit Mahbul with a sharp weapon, finding him alone, leaving Mahbul injured. He was taken to Sadar hospital where he succumbed to his injuries around 11 am. Angered by the incident the supporters of Batul set fire on two houses of the supporters of Siraj Molla. On information, police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. A tense situation was prevailing in the area over the issue.

A man was killed after his motorcycle crashed during an election showdown in support of a Jamaat-e-Islami candidate in Gangachara upazila of Rangpur on Friday night. The deceased, Nur Alam, 58, was from Hajihaat area under Ward-1 of Rangpur city and a supporter of Jamaat-e-Islami. He was the son of the late Monsur Ali. According to locals, Nur Alam was participating in a motorcycle showdown arranged in support of Jamaat-nominated candidate Raihan Siraji for the Rangpur-1 constituency in the upcoming 13th national election. When the showdown reached Soyrabarhi area of Alambiditor Union around 9 pm, Nur Alam lost control of his motorcycle and hit a pillar at a turning point on the road. He suffered a severe head injury. He was rescued and taken to Rangpur Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Gangachara Model Police Station Inspector (Investigation) Abu Hanif Sarker confirmed the incident, saying Nur Alam died after crashing his motorcycle during the political showdown.

A journalist’s business establishment in Jashore’s Jhikargachha upazila was attacked and vandalized after he refused to pay extortion money, according to a complaint filed on Friday. The incident took place around 9:30 p.m. on Thursday at M/S Mamun Traders in the old Navaran Bazar area. The attackers were allegedly led by Shahadat Hossain, a known drug trader from Raghunathpur Dangi village, police and victims said. Mamunur Rashid, vice president of Navaran Press Club and staff reporter of Bartakantha, owns the business. Nur Alam, manager of Mamun Traders, filed a written complaint with Jhikargachha Police Station on Friday morning naming six people, including Shahadat. The accused are Shahadat Hossain, 25; Alomgir Hossain, 23; Shah Alam, 22; Jahangir Hossain, 30; Miraj Hossain, 23, of Kundipur Matpara; and Ashiq, 24, son of Idris. Mamunur Rashid said Shahadat and his group had been demanding a large sum in extortion from him for months. “When I refused, Shahadat and 5–6 others armed with sticks and local weapons stormed my office Thursday night. They beat my manager and staff and vandalized the establishment,” he said. He added that the attackers attempted to assault him as well. Locals intervened, after which the group fled while threatening to kill him. Residents alleged that Shahadat and his three brothers are notorious drug dealers and run a gang under the protection of a local influential leader. They said drug abuse, theft and mugging have increased in the area, causing widespread fear. Jhikargachha Police Station Officer-in-Charge Nur Mohammad Gazi said they received the complaint and would take legal action after investigation.

The bodies of two men, who went missing after a cement-loaded trawler sank in the Meghna River in Sonargaon upazila of Narayanganj district, have been recovered. The deceased were identified as Roni Sardar, son of Ali Sardar of Bisarat village in Barishal’s Bandar upazila, and Shubho, son of Swapan Mridha from the same area. The Fire Service’s diving team and the River Police retrieved the bodies on Friday afternoon from the Sonamoyi area under Baidyerbazar union of the Sonargaon upazila. According to police, the trawler was loaded with 2,000 bags of cement at Aman Cement Factory on Thursday afternoon to be transported to Barishal. Two bodies recovered from building in North Badda After anchoring mid-river, the crew fell asleep. During the night, the vessel developed a leak and sank. On information, divers began a search on Thursday night but were forced to suspend work due to strong currents. The operation resumed Friday morning, and both bodies were recovered in the afternoon. Baidyerbazar Police Outpost in-charge Mahbubur Rahman said the bodies were handed over to their families without autopsy.

Unidentified miscreants set fire to a parked school bus in Manikganj early Friday, seriously injuring the driver asleep inside. The driver, Parvez Khan, 55, of Baraivikra village in Manikganj Sadar, was rescued by police as the fire quickly spread. Suman Chakraborty, sub-inspector of Shibalaya Police Station said the incident occurred around 3:00am in Folsatia area of Shibalaya upazila.  Abandoned train coach set on fire in Tejgaon; two suspects held The bus, belonging to The Holy Child School and College and used for student transport, was parked by the Dhaka-Aricha highway at the time. Parvez was first taken to the Sadar hospital and later referred to Dhaka’s National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute for advanced treatment, he added. Shibalaya Police Station Officer-in-Charge SM Aman Ullah said that investigations are ongoing to determine whether the incident was an act of sabotage, and legal action is underway.

Police recovered four bomb-like objects in Terokhada upazila of Khulna on Friday morning, following three explosions near the house of a local union parishad member that sparked panic among residents. Mehedi Hasan, officer-in-charge (OC) of Terokhada Police Station, said the blasts occurred around 3:30 a.m. at the entrance of UP member Bellal Molla’s house in Parhajigram Katasia Bazar area of Madhupur Union. He added that four abandoned cocktail-like devices were later recovered and are now being examined after being submerged in water. OC Mehedi said locals spotted small red containers at separate locations and informed the police. Man hurt in cocktail blasts at DU's TSC Later, a team from Terokhada Police Station recovered the objects. Meanwhile, several leaflets titled “Dhaka Lockdown” were found in the area, heightening public concern. “An investigation is underway to determine the source and motive behind the incidents,” the OC said.  

Four people, including a woman, were killed in three separate road accidents in Magura district on Thursday. The deceased were identified as Saiful Islam Tamim, 18, Shanto Pratim Mondal, 18, Sagor Ahmed, 32, and Rina Khatun. Details about Sagor Ahmed and Rina Khatun could not be immediately confirmed. Tamim and Shanto were second-year students at Bunagati Degree College, said Ayub Ali, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Magura Police Station. Eyewitnesses said that around noon, Tamim was riding a motorcycle with Shanto towards Berail Bazar in Magura Sadar. Near the Chandpur Sub-Health Center, they lost control and collided with a mango tree. Saiful Islam Tamim died on the spot, while Shanto, who was seriously injured, was rushed to Faridpur Medical College Hospital but died en route. In another incident, pedestrian Sagor Ahmed was fatally struck by a speeding motorcycle in front of the Fire Service office in Mohammadpur Upazila. Later on Thursday night, a housewife, Rina Khatun, died in a motorcycle accident at Bhayna intersection in Magura town. Separate cases have been filed at Magura Police Station in connection with all three incidents, said Abul Kalam Azad, in-charge of Shatrujitpur Police Investigation Center.

A local leader of Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Sramik Dal was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Rangunia Upazila on Thursday night. The deceased was identified as Abdul Mannan, 40, son of Md. Nazer Sawdagar of Ward No. 3. He served as the vice-president of the Sarafbhata Union unit of Sramik Dal. Quoting local sources, Sabbir Md. Selim, officer-in-charge (OC) of South Rangunia Police Station, said that Mannan was traveling by motorcycle from Khetra Bazar to Shilak village around 10 p.m. when attackers opened fire, leaving him dead on the spot. Police recovered the body from the scene and sent it to Chittagong Medical College for an autopsy, he added.