District
Bangladeshi national killed in ‘BSF firing’ in Sylhet
A 22-year-old man was shot dead allegedly by the members of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) at Telanji in Jaintiapur upazila of Sylhet district on Thursday.
The deceased was identified as Rubel Hossain, son of Ismail Mia of the upazila.
Also read: BSF kills Bangladeshi near Thakurgaon border
Locals said the BSF members opened fire on some Bangladeshi nationals when they went to the area near pillar no 1301 near Sari River to collect stones around 6 am, leaving three people injured.
The injured were taken to Jaintiapur Upazila Health Complex where he succumbed to his injuries.
Also read: 2 farmers shot by BSF along B’baria border
Two other injured—Abbas Mia and Mizan Mia--were given first aid.
Omar Faruk, officer-in-charge of Jaintapur Police Station, they are aware of the incident and investigating it.
Also read: Bangladeshi shot dead by India's BSF along Lalmonirhat border
Microbus-three wheeler collision leaves 7 dead in Sylhet
Seven people died in a collision between a CNG-run auto-rickshaw and a microbus at Salutikar on Sylhet-Companigonj road on Thursday.
The deceased included six passengers of CNG auto-rickshaw and the driver of the microbus.
Deputy Director of Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital Soumitra Chakraborty (SOMCH) said, “Six people died before coming to the hospital, and five others were brought to hospital in critical condition. One of them died while undergoing treatment at the hospital.”
4 injured in clash over setting up cattle market in Sylhet
Four of the deceased were identified as Md. Kalan Mia, 35, son of Shahjahan Mia of Islampur village in Companyganj upazila, Maulana Kazi Amir Uddin, 42, son of late Ashadder Ali of Kalibari village of East Islampur union, microbus driver Abu Taher, 45, of RoyBazar area of Dhaka and Md. Idris Ali, 40, of Batumara village of North Ronikhai union of Companiganj upazila.
The other deceased were from Companiganj upazila.
Out-of-control Mitali Paribahan bus kills pedestrian, easy-biker in Sylhet
Sylhet Additional Superintendent of Police Prabhas Kumar Singh said when the microbus (Dhaka Metro-Ch19-7462) leaving Sylhet reached in front of Piangul Kazi Kalimullah High School in Salutikar area of Gowainghat upazila around 8:30 am the front right tyre of the vehicle got punctured and it lost control.
Then it collided with a three-wheeler coming from the opposite direction, he said.
Sylhet road crash: Trucker held in Dakkhin Surma
Following the collision, the two vehicles fell into a roadside canal, leaving five people dead on the spot. Later, one injured passenger died on the way to the hospital and another died while undergoing treatment at the hospital.
Barishal University student found dead in her mess room
A first year student of Barishal University (BU) was found dead in her room at a mess on Wednesday night.
The deceased was identified as Ribna Shahrin, first-year student of Botany Department and resident of Molla Chhatri Nibas (Rokeya hall), near the university. She hailed from Pirojpur district and used to live alone.
BU Proctor Dr Md Khorshed Alam, said the girl had a conversation with her family members and friends on July 16 and since then they failed to reach her over the phone.
Police recover man’s body from a field in Kushtia
At 11 pm on Wednesday, the panicked mother and uncle of the girl rushed to the mess and found the door of the room closed from inside.
Getting no response from inside the room after a long time, they broke into the door and found Ribna’s body hanging from the ceiling fan.
Body of missing fisherman recovered after 38 hours in Kishoreganj
AR Mukul, officer-in-charge of Barishal Metropolitan Police, said, “Primarily it is suspected that the student might have committed suicide but the actual reason could be known after autopsy.”
Body of a man found near CUET gate
Two motorcyclists die as motorcycle collides with bus in Faridpur
Two people died when their motorcycle collided with a speeding bus at Kanaipur on Faridpur-Khulna highway.
The accident happened in front of Kanaipur Sugarcane Centre around 5:30 pm on Wednesday.
The deceased were identified as Miraj Hossain, 22, of Badarpur in the city, and Sagar, 25, of Boalmari.
Also read: Two pedestrians die after being hit by bus in Cox's Bazar
Shahidur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Karimpur Highway Police Station, said the incident happened around 5:30pm when a Faridpur-bound Golden Line Paribahan bus from Bagerhat hit a motorcycle coming from the opposite direction.
Also read: Bus-truck collision leaves 2 dead in Dinajpur
The driver of the motorcycle, Miraj, was killed on the spot. Sagar, another motorcycle rider, was rescued and sent to Faridpur Medical College Hospital.
He died around 9:55 pm while undergoing treatment there, OC Shahidur said.
Also read: Army corporal among 2 killed in separate road crashes in Dinajpur
Protest against drug abuse: Youth stabbed dead in Rajshahi
A 30-year-old man was stabbed to death allegedly by his rivals over previous enmity with some drug traders at Charmajardia in Rajshahi city on Tuesday night.The deceased was identified as Abu Syed, a farmer and son of Amir Hossain Choukidar of Maddhyapara village.Quoting locals, Mashiur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Damkura Police Station, said Abu Syed had enmity with some drug traders in the area as he used to protest against drugs abuse.
Ideal College student stabbed dead at DhanmondiFifteen people including Shahin, Kabil, and Shamsul, equipped with sharp weapons, waylaid Syed near Charmazardia Harpara Bridge while returning home by a motorbike and stabbed him indiscriminately around 9 pm, leaving him injured.
Fruit trader stabbed to death in GazipurLater, he was taken to Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital where doctors declared him dead.A case was filed in this connection.Man stabbed to death in Chattogram
Man, grandson drown in Mymensingh pond
A man and his grandson drowned while taking bath in a pond in Mymensingh's Bhaluka upazila.
The deceased were identified as Aynal Haque, 60, and his grandson Habibur Rahman, 12.
Locals recovered the bodies from the pond in Baliagara village of Dakatia union of the upazila on Tuesday afternoon.
Also read: 3 boys drown in Tangail pond
Jahangir Alam, inspector (investigation) of Bhaluka Model Police Station, confirmed the incident.
According to local sources, Habibur recently came to visit his grandfather Aynal Haque's house. In the afternoon, they went together to take a bath in the pond next to Aynal’s house. At one point, the grandson drowned in the pond. Aynal also drowned while trying to rescue him.
Also read: Student drowns in Dhaka's Bangshal
Later, family members started searching for them as they were missing for a long time and found their clothes and mobile phones lying on the bank of the pond. Later, locals searched the pond and recovered the bodies from the pond around 5:30 pm.
Also read: 2 cousins drown in Kurigram
Youth killed, 50 injured in AL-BNP clash in Laxmipur
A young man was killed and 50 people were injured in sporadic clashes between leaders and activists of BNP and Awami League in Laxmipur district town on Tuesday.
The deceased was identified as Sajib of Chandraganj.
Mahfuzzaman Ashraf, superintendent of Laxmipur police, said a group of BNP leaders and activists, led by BNP`s Publicity Secretary Shaheed Uddin Chowdhury Annie, brought out a procession from Godown Road in Feni District town.
As part of the BNP’s scheduled programme, hundreds of leaders and activists were brought out separate processions in the district town.
Besides, Awami League leaders and activists brought out a peaceful rally in different parts of the district town.
At 4 pm, the procession of BNP and Awami League mingled at Samad Academy intersection. At one stage, the BNP men tore down the banners of Awami League, triggering a chase and counter chase.
Then BNP men, numbering 30/40, chased some 15/20 men of Awami League, forcing them to take shelter at a building inside Madin Ullah Housing.
A young man was found lying on the ground floor of the building and died due to profuse bleeding, said the owner of the building.
On information, police recovered the body and sent it to sadar hospital morgue.
Meanwhile, a group of Chhatra League leaders and activists chased some BNP men in the Jhumur area, triggering a clash.
Police obstructed the BNP men in the Jhumur area when they tried to block the Highway. A clash ensued between police and BNP men.
Police lobbed tear gas shells and fired bullets to bring the situation under control, said SP Ashraf.
50 injured in AL, BNP, police clash in Feni
At least 50 people were injured in a clash among the leaders and activists of BNP and Awami League and police duirng BNP’s march programme at Islampur road in Feni district town on Tuesday.
Witnesses said, hundreds of BNP leaders and activists led by former MP VP Joynal brought out a procession as part of their party’s central march rally from Daudpur area in the district town.
When the procession reached at Islampur road around 4 pm, police obstructed them. A chase and counter-chase took place among them.
The BNP activists also hurled brick chips targeting police.
BNP’s march: 50 hurt in clash with police in Bogura
At one stage, a group of Awami League leaders and activists appeared there who were holding a peaceful rally near Feni Shaheed Minar, engaged into the clash.
The whole area turned into a battle field. Later, police fired bullets and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse them.
50 people including 25 BNP leaders and activists were injured during the clash, said Sheikh Farid Uddin Bahar, convener of Feni District unit BNP.
Police-BNP activists clash in Kishoreganj; several activists, journalists injured
Four journalist including Mohona TV correspondent and Manabjamin correspondent were injured in the clash while taking footage of the clash.
Zakir Hossain, superintendent of Feni police said, officer-in-charge of Feni Model Police Station
and some policemen were injured during the clash.
BNP activists, police clash in Pirojpur
Additional police have been deployed in the area to avert further trouble.
BNP’s march: 50 hurt in clash with police in Bogura
At least 50 leaders and activists of BNP were injured in clashes with police during their march in Bogura district town on Tuesday.
As part of the BNP’s scheduled march programme, several thousand leaders and activists led by district unit BNP president Rezaul Karim Badsha, brought out a procession from Matidhali intersection that ended at Nababbari Road party office around 11 am.
Also read: Police-BNP activists clash in Kishoreganj; several activists, journalists injured
Meanwhile, another group of leaders and activists of BNP led by BNP district unit general secretary Ali Azgarh Talukdar brought out a procession from Banani intersection.
When the procession reached Yeakubia School intersection near Zero Point Sat Matha in the district town, police obstructed them, triggering a chase and counter-chase between police and BNP men.
Also read: BNP activists, police clash in Pirojpur
Police lobbed gas shells and fire rubber bullets to disperse them, leaving 50 people injured.
Besides, six policemen were among the injured, said Sudip Kumar Chakrawarty, superintendent of district police.
Besides, BNP men and police again locked into a clash in front of Police Plaza in Nawab Bari around 1 pm.
The leaders and activists hurled brick chips towards, and police lobbed tear gas shells, fired rubber bullets to bring the situation under control.
Also read: Over 100 injured in AL-BNP clashes in Khagrachhari
Meanwhile, 30 female students of Yeakubia School fell sick after inhaling tear gas during the clash. They were taken to a local hospital.
Ali Azgar, general secretary of district unit BNP, said police obstructed their peaceful procession and a number of BNP men were arrested.
Also read: BNP’s Dhaka march comes under attack near Mirpur Bangla college
How once backward Thakugaon is becoming a hub of dev and new employment
Thakurgaon, the northernmost district of the country, has long been known for its dependence on agriculture and some agro-based products with few industries.
That has changed now.
In the past 14 and a half years of the Awami League rule the otherwise backward region has witnessed radical changes in development, infrastructure, education, health, medical services, business and employment. Tea and corn cultivation have added new feathers to its development crown.
Also read: Farmer strikes success in cultivating fallow land in Thakurgaon
During this time the touch of development has reached from the cities to the remote villages.
The people in the region have found new employment and ways of livelihood, according to local residents and officials.
As one resident said Thakurgaon is now a town of development.
According to the information of the district administration, some 15.33 lakh people live in Thakurgaon. In the last decade and a half, the education rate has increased from 66.5 percent to 86 percent.
Most of the people here earlier made a living by producing rice, sugarcane, jute and potatoes. But the Thakurgaon sugar mills stopped production in 2002 during the BNP-Jamaat government. It also closed down the silk factory in the district.
Also read: Working at brick kiln, Thakurgaon’s Raju still managed to score GPA 5 in HSC
In 2008, there were 83 km of pucca(paved) roads in Thakurgaon under the road division. Four roads of 120 km length have been built during 2009-23.
Until 2008, some 445 km of rural pucca roads were built under the LGED. A number of 480 pucca roads with a length of 1,155 km have been constructed during the tenure of the current government.
Radical changes have also occurred in rail communication. Due to the establishment of modern railway communication with other districts, six trains operate daily- five of them inter-city.
"Since the current government took over, almost all the rural roads in our Upazila have been made pucca. Common people have benefited from it. Marginal farmers are able to market their produce easily. Because of this their financial situation is improving,” Sohel Rana, a resident of Ranishankail upazila, told UNB during a tour of the area.
Also read: Poverty forces Thakurgaon day-labourer to put 7-month-old baby girl up for sale
After the Awami League came to power in 1996, under the guidance of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, tea gardens were planted for the first time in the plains of neighbouring Panchagarh district.
Tea has become one of the main sources of livelihood for the people of Panchagarh. The wave of tea cultivation has now spread to the neighboring district of Thakurgaon.
Tea production started here for the first time in 2007. Most tea cultivation is done in Baliadangi upazila of the district.
According to the information given by the district administration, tea is cultivated on 1,457 acres of land. It generates an annual income of Tk 40 crore. Some 3,000 people have been directly and indirectly employed in the cultivation and production of tea in the region.
In 2006, when the BNP-Jamaat alliance left power, Thakurgaon had only 30 MW of electricity. Most of the people in the district were without electricity.
After the Awami League came to power in 2009, the picture has changed. The demand for electricity has increased due to the planned activities of the government.
An 115MW independent power plant has been in operation in Thakurgaon since 2022. As a result, hundred percent of the people of this district are now enjoying electricity facilities.
New factories are being built in the district. Small cottage industries have been facilitated, the opportunities for marginalised people are growing and new employment sectors have been created.
Not only that, uninterrupted power supply has also improved the services in the health sector.
According to Thakurgaon district administration, a power generation plant named EPV Thakurgaon Limited was established in 2022 at Gauripur in Jagannathpur union of Sadar upazila.
It has already been possible to bring hundred percent of the people of this district under electricity service through Nesco and Palli Vidyut Samiti from this power station and national grid electricity. Currently, the electricity supply in the district is 104 MW.
In 2006, there were only 91,112 electricity consumers. The number of customers has now increased to 4,18,091.
Manager (operation) of the power plant Zahidul Islam told the media on July 9 that the production capacity of the power plant is 132 megawatts. The peak hour demand is 114 MW. But as per the contract, 115 MW of electricity is now being produced.
“It meets the electricity demand of the entire Thakurgaon,” Deputy Commissioner Mahbubur Rahman told reporters in a recent interview.
He also said that the establishment of the power plant has enabled the authorities to reach electricity to the rural areas here.
“There is now electricity in every house with factories and projects in the district. Industrialization is going on around this plant where the production is more than the demand. In economic activities, socio-economic conditions are progressing due to this power plant. The power plant has proved blessings for the area.”
At independence in 1971 Thakurgaon district had only 369 primary schools. The post-1975 governments did not take much initiative in setting up new schools.
As of 2006, there were 429 primary schools. But this changed after the Awami League came to power. Currently there are 999 primary schools in the district.
In 2006, the number of secondary schools, colleges, madrasas and technical educational institutions were 346, 35, 65 and 7 respectively.
At present this number has increased to 366, 60, 123 and 27 respectively.
The government has taken new steps to improve the quality of education. Multimedia class rooms, cent percent scholarship to students, setting up of Sheikh Russell digital lab, digital smart classrooms, construction of wash block in every school, construction of boundary wall, distribution of laptops among students, Wi-Fi connection in schools are among the new additions in this sector.
During a visit toThakurgaon Road Girls High School on July 9 a team of journalists saw the students are able to use multimedia classes easily due to uninterrupted electricity.
Various computer related subjects are being taught hands-on at Sheikh Russell Digital Lab. Students of this school are attending classes in a digital smart classroom.
Maisa Farzana, a 10th grade student, said that she can open Google ID, Gmail ID. Apart from this, in the school's Sheikh Russell Digital Lab she has acquired the basic understanding of computers including Microsoft Word.
Since the establishment of the lab in 2022, the girls have been given hands-on ICT education, said Headmaster Kofil Uddin.
He told the media that attendance is increasing. As the government provides digital materials, students are paying attention to digital teaching and taking classes in multimedia.