United News of Bangladesh

Import and export with India through Sonamasjid land port in Chapainawabganj resumed on Wednesday following the Eid-ul-Azha holiday break. According to port  officials, all types of cross-border trade between Bangladesh and India through the port remained suspended for eight consecutive days from May 26 to June 2 . With the holiday period ending, the movement of goods officially returned to normal operations from Wednesday morning, the officials said. Sonamasjid Land Port C&F Agents Association Secretary Ruhul Amin said full-scale business activities have restarted after the break, bringing back momentum to traders and workers associated with the port. He also noted that during the holiday period, the immigration checkpoint at the port remained open, allowing normal movement of passport-holding passengers between the two countries.

A nine-year-old Bangladeshi child was killed after an abandoned mortar shell exploded near the Bangladesh-Myanmar border in Naikhongchhari upazila of Bandarban district on Tuesday. The deceased was identified as Suminaiang Tanchangya, 9, son of Kinghla Tanchangya of Baishfari Tanchangya village. The incident occurred around 1:30pm between border pillars 39 and 40 near Baishfari along the Ghumdhum border. Confirming the incident, Ramu Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) Sector Commander Colonel Mohiuddin Ahmed said the child died when an abandoned mortar shell exploded in the border area. BGB members and police recovered the body. Local residents and public representatives said the child went to work in a jhum cultivation field with his mother. Around noon, he reportedly found an abandoned mortar shell near the border fence. The child later took the unexploded shell to a makeshift hut in the jhum field and began playing with it. The shell suddenly exploded, killing him on the spot, they said. Officer-in-Charge of Naikhongchhari Police Station Mozammel Haque said the child was working in a jhum field near the Myanmar border when the incident occurred.

A college student was killed and three others were injured in a clash triggered by a trivial dispute over music played on a sound system and photography arrangements at a wedding ceremony in Netrakona Sadar upazila. One person has been detained for questioning in connection with the incident. The clash took place around 11:45 pm on Monday at Sangsad Bazar area under Challisha Union. The deceased was identified as Mostafa Amir Faisal, 20, son of Nazrul Islam of  Bamnikona village and a Class XII student of Netrakona Abu Abbas Degree College. According to locals and police, a wedding ceremony of Shabana, daughter of Idris Ali of Sangsad Bazar area, was underway. A sound system had been arranged to play music and photographs and videos were being taken during the ceremony. At one stage, Faisal’s cousin Robin attended the event with several friends and started singing and dancing. They were asked to leave the venue, leading to an altercation between the two sides. Witnesses said Robin initially left the scene but later returned with family members and associates. When Faisal and his relatives inquired about the dispute, a clash broke out between the two groups. Faisal, his cousin Robin Hasan, 19, Abdullah Al Fahim alias Sourav, 18, and his uncle Sadekul Islam, 45, were injured in the violence. The injured were first taken to Netrakona Modern Sadar Hospital. As the condition of Faisal and Sadekul deteriorated after primary treatment, they were referred to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital. Faisal died while undergoing treatment at around 2:30 am. Swajal Kumar Sarkar, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), confirmed the matter. Several others were injured in the incident, he said, adding that Faisal’s body has been kept at a morgue for autopsy and drives are underway to arrest the remaining suspects.

A man was detained on Tuesday on allegations of raping a 12-year-old street child after allegedly intoxicating the victim in an abandoned building of the Sylhet Railway Station area around 4 pm. The detainee, identified as Lodon, 35, lived in the railway station area and was known to be a drug addict. According to police, citing local residents, the accused allegedly lured the child to the abandoned building after approaching the victim in an intoxicated state. RAB man stabbed dead by ‘drug dealer’ in Sylhet When locals tried to intervene, the suspect allegedly threatened them with a weapon, prompting them to alert the Railway Police. Police later rescued the child and took the accused into custody. South Surma police were subsequently informed and conducted a drive in the Kadamtali Bus Terminal area around 6 am, where the suspect was detained. South Surma Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman confirmed the detention, saying police acted on the child's complaint. "We have detained one person based on the victim's statement. Whether it was rape or an attempted rape will be determined after a clinical examination," the OC said. He said both the child and the accused were homeless and used to spend nights around the railway station area. Legal action is being taken and the child has been provided with necessary assistance, the OC added.

A young man was hacked to death by miscreants after being lured out of his home in Khulna city on Tuesday. The deceased was identified as Md Rashed Kazi, 20, son of Kazi Anisur Rahman of Krishnanagar area under Labanchara Police Station. According to family members, Rashed was sleeping at home when one of his acquaintances called him out at around 11:15 am. Shortly afterwards, miscreants attacked him with sharp weapons near a school in the Schoolbhita area under Labanchara Police Station. Three members of a family found dead in Khulna Locals rescued him and took him to Khulna Medical College Hospital, where the on-duty doctor declared him dead. Sub-Inspector Piyush Das of Labanchara Police Station said police were dispatched to the scene after receiving information about the incident. “We are trying to determine the motive behind the killing. Drives are continuing to arrest those responsible,” he said. According to police, Rashed had been jailed in a drug-related case about three years ago. Police suspect the March attack on Rashed’s family and Tuesday’s murder may have been linked.

What was meant to be a joyous homecoming for a Bangladeshi expatriate after a decade in Malaysia ended in tragedy early Tuesday as a road crash on the Dhaka–Bhanga Expressway claimed five lives of the same family and left two children critically injured. Ariful Islam, 30, a migrant worker from Baliadangi village under Jhikargachha upazila in Jashore, returned to Bangladesh on Monday night after spending 10 years in Malaysia in search of livelihood. At Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, he was welcomed by his mother Nurjahan Begum, brother Rakib Hossain, sister Ayesha Begum, and two young relatives—nephew Ashraful and niece Tashfia. The family then set off for their village home in Faridpur in a private car. But their journey ended in devastation around 4am in Maligram area of Bhanga upazila when the vehicle crashed into the rear of a stationary truck loaded with gas cylinders on the Dhaka–Bhanga Expressway. The other deceased were Ariful, his younger brother Rakib Hossain, 20, their mother Nurjahan Begum, 55, sister Ayesha Khatun, 35,  and the driver of the private car,Zahid Hossain, 35, of Chaluhati village in Monirampur upazila of Jashore. Two children—Ashraful ,8, and Tashfia ,3, children of Ayesha Begum—sustained critical injuries and are now undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Fire Service personnel and highway police rushed to the scene after receiving information and rescued the injured, taking them to Bhanga Upazila Health Complex where doctors declared four people dead. Later, critically injured Ariful, along with the two children, was transferred to Faridpur Medical College Hospital. Ariful succumbed to his injuries on the way.  “We went to receive him with so much hope. He had just returned after 10 years. On the way home, everything turned into mourning,” said his brother-in-law Ilias Hossain. Shibchar Highway Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Mizanur Rahman said four bodies were initially recovered and kept at the police station, while Ariful’s body was later recovered from hospital. “The vehicle and the truck have been seized. Legal procedures are underway and preparations are being made to hand over the bodies to the families,” he said.

The death toll from drinking ‘toxic liquor’ in Mithapukur upazila of Rangpur rose to four with the death of another man. The deceased was identified as Ershad Mia, 40, son of Sultan Ali of Buzruk Jhalai Pakarmatha area. Earlier, three people died after taking toxic liquor on Monday. Locals said a number of people consumed toxic liquor at Balarhat Bazar on Sunday night and they fell sick after returning home. Two of them died early Monday while another died on Monday morning at Rangpur Medical College and Hospital. Later, Ershad died on Monday night at the same hospital, said Ershad Ahmed, Officer-in-charge of Mithapukur Police Station. On information, Mithapukur Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Parvez visited the area. An investigation is underway and legal action will be taken against those responsible in the incident, said the OC.

A 55-year-old woman was hacked to death by a youth at her home in Katli area of Netrokona town on Monday night. The deceased was identified as Monowara Begum, wife of Abu Chan Mia. Police said Abu Chan Mia, 60, and their son Munna Mia, 25, sustained serious injuries when they tried to save her. Locals detained the alleged attacker, Abdur Rashid, 28, a rickshaw puller from the same area, and handed him over to police. Victim's daughter, Liza Moni, said she found her father and brother critically injured after returning home and saw that Rashid had attacked them with a sharp weapon. "When I screamed for help, local people rushed in and rescued my father and brother. Later, my mother's body was found under a bed inside the house," she said. She also said that the accused was known to the family and frequently borrowed money from them. Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle) Sajal Kumar Sarkar on Tuesday said that the area was experiencing a power outage at the time of the attack. Quoting local residents, the police official said the attacker first hacked Monowara Begum to death. “When her son Munna tried to intervene, he was also attacked and seriously injured. Abu Chan Mia was similarly wounded while attempting to save his wife and son,” he said. The injured father and son were initially taken to Netrokona Sadar Hospital. As Munna's condition deteriorated, he was later referred to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital. Police recovered the body and sent it to Netrokona Sadar Hospital morgue for an autopsy. Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) has launched a shadow investigation into the incident.

The body of an eight-year-old girl who was dragged into the historic Khan Jahan Ali Dighi by a crocodile has been recovered after an overnight search operation in Bagerhat. The victim, Fatema Akter, was found floating in the southeastern part of the pond around 5:00 am Tuesday, nearly nine hours after the attack, police and fire service officials said. According to locals, Fatema used to live in the shrine area with her mother, who is reportedly mentally challenged. Bagerhat Superintendent of Police Hasan Mohammad Naser Rikabdar said local residents searched the pond with several boats throughout the night after the child was dragged away by the crocodile. “The body was recovered in a mutilated condition early Tuesday. Legal procedures are underway,” he said. The police chief also said additional safety measures would be taken around the shrine area and authorities may consider restricting bathing in the pond. Visitors have been urged to remain cautious due to the presence of crocodiles. Bagerhat Fire Service Inspector Md Belal Hossain said the body was handed over to police after recovery. The incident occurred around 8:30 pm on Monday when Fatema entered the women’s bathing ghat of the pond. Witnesses said a crocodile grabbed her by the leg and dragged her into the water. The attack drew hundreds of onlookers to the shrine area. Local MP Sheikh Monjurul Haque Rahad, Deputy Commissioner Golam Mohammad Baten and Superintendent of Police Hasan Mohammad Naser Rikabdar rushed to the scene after receiving the news. Visitor Al-Amin Hossain said he and his friends were visiting the shrine when they heard the child screaming and rushed to the women’s ghat, but by then the crocodile had already pulled her into the pond. MP Rahad said several incidents involving crocodiles had occurred at the shrine pond in the past and authorities were working to improve safety. Necessary measures would be taken to prevent crocodiles from approaching areas used by worshippers for ablution and by visitors for bathing, he added. The nearly 600-year-old Khan Jahan Ali shrine is known for its historic pond and crocodiles. According to local accounts, the original descendants of the famed crocodiles known as Kalapahar and Dhalapahar are no longer alive, and the existing saltwater crocodile reportedly gifted from Madras, India, remains the pond’s sole crocodile attraction.  

Five people were killed and two children sustained serious injuries after a private car rammed into the rear of a stationery truck on the Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga Expressway in Faridpur's Bhanga upazila early Tuesday. The deceased were identified as Nurjahan, 50, wife of Shahidul Islam of Ujjalpur village in Jhikargachha upazila of Jashore; her son Arif Islam, 24; Ayesha Begum, 28, wife of Ilias Hossain of the same village; Rakib, 18; and the unidentified driver of the private car, aged about 25. The injured were identified as Ashraful Hossain, 7, and Tachfia, 3. All were travelling in the private car. According to Shibchar Highway Police, the private car was heading to Jashore from Dhaka when it crashed into the truck parked on the roadside near Maligram Bus Stand around 4 am.  Four people died on the spot while the injured were taken to Faridpur Medical College Hospital, where Rakib later succumbed to his injuries, said Shibchar Highway Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mizanur Rahman . He said police and members of Bhanga Fire Service carried out a rescue operation after receiving news of the accident. He said efforts are underway to identify the deceased driver, while the injured are undergoing treatment at Faridpur Medical College Hospital.  The damaged truck and private car have been seized. Bhanga Fire Service Station Manager Abu Zafar said rescuers had to cut through the mangled vehicle to recover the driver's body, as he was trapped inside following the collision. Police and fire service officials said an investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the accident.