United News of Bangladesh

Frequent power outages amid a supply shortfall have made daily life increasingly difficult for residents in Khulna as prolonged load-shedding continues in the city and surrounding areas. Amid intense heat, repeated power cuts have left people frustrated, with little relief even during nighttime. Local people electricity outages often begin just as temperatures remain high, depriving them of sleep for hours. Children, the elderly and the sick are facing the worst of the situation, they said. Many residents alleged that sudden, unannounced power cuts are disrupting their daily activities, while also affecting businesses. Quoting the central control room of the West Zone Power Distribution Company Limited (WZPDCL), Chief Executive Engineer Rokon Uzzaman said power demand in Khulna stood at 653 megawatts at 10am on April 16, against a supply of 550 megawatts, resulting in a shortfall of 103 megawatts. Earlier, on April 15 at 1pm, demand was 750 megawatts while supply was 572 megawatts, leading to load-shedding of 178 megawatts. The same day at 9pm, demand was recorded at 686 megawatts against a supply of 542 megawatts, causing a deficit of 144 megawatts. Md Solaiman, a resident of Sheikhpara, said, “Load-shedding is continuing round the clock. Electricity goes off every hour. Children are suffering badly in this heat.” Residents urged the authorities to take immediate steps to ensure stable power supply and reduce load-shedding during the intense heat.

Nineteen children showing symptoms consistent with measles were admitted to the Chapainawabganj district hospital over a 24-hour period from 12:00am on Tuesday to 12:00am on Wednesday. Hospital sources said children with fever, rash, and cold-like symptoms continue to arrive every day, putting pressure on the 250-bed district hospital. Authorities have already opened an isolation corner to manage the situation, but overcrowding has forced some children to receive treatment on the floor due to a shortage of beds. During the 24-hour period, 44 children recovered and were discharged, while three serious cases were referred to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment. At present, 75 children remain admitted at the hospital with similar symptoms. Since January this year, a total of 721 children have received treatment at the hospital with measles-like symptoms, and four deaths have been reported during this period. Resident Medical Officer Dr Abdus Samad of the hospital said not all cases have been confirmed as measles. In many cases, heat-related rashes along with fever and cold symptoms are being mistaken for measles, causing panic among guardians. He advised that hospital admission is not necessary for every suspected case, urging parents to seek doctor advice and manage mild cases at home if possible, given the ongoing bed shortage.

A mobile court has sentenced a Union Parishad (UP) member to 15-day imprisonment for illegally stockpiling diesel in Sadar upazila of Chuadanga district. The drive was conducted from 5:30pm to 8:00pm on Wednesday at Amirpur village under Mominpur union. The mobile court, led by acting Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and Assistant Commissioner (Land) Aminul Islam, with support from Sadar Police Station, carried out the raid on the residence of UP member Shahinur Islam. During the drive, it found that Shahinur had illegally stored five barrels of diesel (around 1,000 litres) at his home, allegedly for selling at higher prices. He was convicted under the Consumer Rights Protection Act and sentenced to 15 days of simple imprisonment along with a fine of Tk 20,000. Officials said the seized diesel has been kept at the UNO office.

Rail communication on the Dhaka-Mymensingh route resumed early Thursday after remaining suspended for nearly four hours due to the fall of a tree on the track. The disruption triggered around 9:30pm on Wednesday when a large tree collapsed on the railway track at Jabbar’s Mor adjacent to Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), halting train movement on the route. Mymensingh-bound Jamuna Express got stranded at the spot, leading to a complete suspension of rail services. On information, police and members of the BAU Fire Station rushed to the scene and initiated efforts to clear the line. According to fire service officials, they received the emergency call through the national emergency helpline 999 around 10:00pm and promptly began a rescue operation. After nearly three hours of effort, the uprooted tree was removed from the track around 1:15am, they said. Train movement between Dhaka and Mymensingh resumed around 1:30am, restoring the rail link.

Two people were killed and three others injured after a truck collided head-on with a battery-run autorickshaw in Amtali upazila of Barguna on Wednesday morning. The accident occurred in front of the Amtali Fire Service Station on the Dhaka-Kuakata highway around 8:30 am. The deceased were identified as Md Bellal and Shawon, both aged 35. According to police and locals, a battery-run autorickshaw carrying passengers was heading towards the Mohishkata area from Amtali Bazar when a speeding truck coming from the opposite direction lost control and crashed into it. Autorickshaw–covered van collision kills two in Cumilla All five passengers of the autorickshaw were seriously injured in the collision. Locals rescued them and took them to Amtali Upazila Health Complex, where the on-duty doctor declared Md Bellal as dead Shawon was critically injured and later referred to Patuakhali Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment, where he died while undergoing treatment. The remaining three injured passengers are currently receiving treatment at the hospital.

A woman and her minor son were killed and three others injured in a collision between a CNG autorickshaw and a covered van in Debidwar upazila of Cumilla on Wednesday afternoon. The accident occurred around 2:45 pm in the Baniapara area The deceased were identified as Rowshan Ara Begum, 38, wife of shoe factory businessman Didar Mia of Jadda village in Muraddnagar upazila, and her son Yamin, 6. The accident occurred on Cumilla-Sylhet regional highway, said Debidwar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Moniruzzaman. The injured were identified as Md Tajul Islam, 73, father of the deceased Rowshan Ara ,his wife Minu Ara Begum, 65, and the autorickshaw driver Jisan, 35. Quoting local residents, police said four members of a family were returning to their home in Nabinagar upazila of Brahmanbaria by a CNG-run autorickshaw after visiting a relative in the Cumilla Cantonment area. When the vehicle reached Baniapara, it collided with a covered van coming from the opposite direction, leaving Rowshan Ara dead on the spot. Locals rescued the injured and took them to the Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared Yamin dead. The other injured, including the parents and the driver, are undergoing treatment at a local hospital. Tajul Islam said the covered van hit their auto-rickshaw from behind, killing his daughter on the spot and his grandson later at the hospital. Police recovered the bodies and handed them over to the family after completing legal formalities, the OC added.

Two people were killed and three others injured when a truck rammed into a battery-run auto-rickshaw on the Dhaka-Kuakata highway in Amtoli upazila of Barguna district on Tuesday night. The deceased were identified as Md Belal, 35, and Shaon, 35. The accident occurred around 8:30 pm in front of the Amtoli Fire Service Station when the truck crashed into the Mahishkata-bound battery-run auto-rickshaw carrying five passengers, leaving them injured. The injured were taken to Amtoli Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared Belal dead and referred Shaon to Patuakhali Medical College Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries after being admitted.

A case has been filed in Nabinagar upazila of Brahmanbaria over allegations of chasing and attempting to assault a Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) sub-assistant engineer. The victim, sub-assistant engineer Mirza Md Tariqul Islam, filed the case at Monday night at Nabinagar Police Station, police said. Contractor Lokman Hossain and his driver Billal Hossain were named as accused while 4–5 unidentified individuals were included in the case. Nabinagar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Rafiqul Islam said the case was recorded based on the complaint and legal action is underway. According to the complaint and local sources, construction work of a road from Merkuta Bazar to Shibpur Bazar and a retaining wall project worth Tk 14.63 crore is currently underway under LGED supervision. The contractor firm, Messrs Lokman Enterprise, has been executing the project. Local residents had earlier alleged the use of substandard materials in the construction work. Following the complaints, the engineer visited the site on Monday afternoon for inspection and reportedly found irregularities. An argument broke out when he raised concerns over the quality of work. At one stage, the contractor and his associates chased the engineer with bamboo in an attempt to assault him and a video of the incident later went viral on social media.

A local BNP leader was shot and injured by unidentified assailants in front of his house at Akkas More in Naihati union in Rupsha upazila of Khulna on Tuesday night. The injured was identified as Md Mehedi Hasan, son of Musa Sheikh, a former member of Khulna district BNP and a BNP leader of Ward No. 7 under Naihati union. Locals said Mehedi Hasan was standing in front of his residence when two men arrived on a motorcycle and opened fire on him around 9:30 pm. The bullet missed its target and hit his left thigh. Hearing the gunshots, locals rescued him and took him to Khulna Medical College Hospital for treatment. Police said the injured victim identified the attackers. Rupsha Police Station Officer-in-Charge Razzak Mir said police were sent to the spot immediately after being informed. He said the incident is believed to have stemmed from a dispute over drug trading, although the injured has not yet provided a statement to police.

A man and a woman were killed as a bus crashed into their bike in the Daulatpur area of the city on Tuesday night. Locals said a ‘Royal Paribahan’ bus heading towards Khulna from Fulbari Gate hit the motorcycle coming from the opposite direction at Railgate around 8:00pm. The motorcycle riders were run over by the bus, killing them on the spot, said Officer-in-Charge of Daulatpur Police Station Md Shafiqul Islam. The victims could not be identified immediately. Their bodies were sent to Khulna Medical College Hospital for autopsy. Police seized the bus and arrested its driver.