United News of Bangladesh

A madrasa student died after being electrocuted while attempting to repair an electric kettle at his father's tea stall in Kalia upazila of Narail on Monday morning. The deceased was identified as Mohammad Tanvir, 15, son of Md Azgar Sheikh of Benda village in the upazila. The incident occurred around 8:00 am at a tea stall in Benda village under Kalia municipality. Locals said Tanvir, an eighth-grade student, had gone to help his father at the tea stall and was preparing tea using an electric kettle. When the kettle developed a fault, he attempted to repair it and was electrocuted. Locals rescued him and rushed him to Kalia Upazila Health Complex, where the on-duty doctor declared him dead. Md Idris Ali, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kalia Police Station, said necessary legal procedures were underway.

A drug-addicted husband allegedly beat his wife to death with a hammer following a family dispute in Lohagara upazila of Narail. After killing his wife Jasmine Begum, 33, Jasim Sheikh, 36, surrendered to Lohagara Police Station, said Officer-in-Charge (OC) Ajit Kumar Roy. The deceased, Jasmine Begum, was the daughter of Siddique Mir of Karfa village under Mallikpur Union in the upazila. Family members said Jasim, a construction worker, had been addicted to drugs for a long time. The incident took place around 12:30 pm on Sunday (August 2) at Karfa village in Mallikpur Union of the upazila. According to police and family sources, Jasmine had married Jasim Sheikh of Karfa village under Mallikpur Union in Lohagara upazila about 10 years ago. The couple had an eight-year-old daughter. They had reportedly been involved in frequent disputes over various family issues since their marriage. Around 12:30 pm on Sunday, they locked into quarrel again. At one point, Jasim allegedly hit Jasmine on the head with a hammer, causing her to be seriously injured and unconscious. Locals and relatives rescued the critically injured Jasmine and took her to Lohagara Upazila Health Complex. As her condition deteriorated, she was referred to Dhaka for advanced treatment, but the duty doctor at the emergency department of a hospital there declared her dead in the afternoon. OC Ajit Kumar Roy said additional police had been deployed in the area following the incident. The body would be handed over to the family after completing the due procedures, he added.

A tea shop owner and another person were killed, while two others were injured after a lightning strike in Pirganj upazila of Thakurgaon on Sunday. The deceased were identified as Shanti Rani, 46, a tea shop owner from Kusharigaon village, and Suiram Roy, 65, from Rajor village in neighbouring Ranishankail upazila. The injured are Salon Chandra, 48, and Tepra Roy, 60. Locals said several people were having tea at Shanti Rani's shop in Kusharigaon village under Bhomradah Union when a thunderstorm began around noon. A lightning strike hit the area during heavy rain, leaving four people seriously injured. Locals rescued the victims and took them to Pirganj Upazila Health Complex, where the doctor on duty declared Shanti Rani and Suiram Roy dead. As the condition of the two injured people worsened, they were referred to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment. Iqbal Hossain Pramanik, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Pirganj Police Station, said an unnatural death (UD) case has been filed in connection with the incident.  

A memorial arch built by BNP’s associate wings in Tungipara of Gopalganj to mark the 2nd anniversary of the July uprising was allegedly set on fire on Saturday night, hours after its construction. The “36 July Mass Uprising Arch” was built by Tungipara municipality units of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) and Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal on the southern side of Gate No. 1 of the Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Mausoleum on Saturday afternoon. The two organisations also announced various programmes on the occasion. Locals said unidentified miscreants set fire to the arch after evening. The lower part of the structure was partially damaged by the fire. Officer-in-Charge of Tungipara Police Station Ayub Ali said police visited the spot after receiving information about the incident. “An investigation is underway to identify those responsible. Further action will be taken following instructions from the higher authorities,” he said.

A man was shot to death and three others sustained bullet injuries in an attack over rivalry between two groups at Saudagarkandi village in Raipura upazila of Narsingdi district on Sunday morning. The deceased was identified as Momen Mia, 55, son of Dhon Mia of the upazila. The injured – Mobarak, 65, Nazmul Hossain, 30, Ruhul Amin, 37 – were taken to Raipura Upazila Health Complex. Officer-in-Charge of Raipura Police Station Mojinur Rahman said “Farid Group” and “Momen Chairman Group” had been at loggerheads over previous enmity. As a sequel to the enmity, the supporters of “Farid Group”, equipped with arms stormed into the house of Momen around 7:00am and opened fire on him and others. Momen suffered bullet injuries to his head and legs and died later, while other injured were receiving treatment at the hospital. Additional policemen were deployed in the area to avert further trouble.

A 40-year-old housewife died from electrocution at Asannagar village in Alamdanga upazila of Chuadanga district on Sunday morning. The deceased was identified as Shaharon Khatun, wife of Masud Hossain of Asannagar village. Family members said Shaharon got electrocuted when went to plug in a rice cooker. Family members later found her dead lying on the floor with an electric wire wrapped around her hand. Bani Israel, Alamdanga Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC), said an unnatural death (UD) case has been filed and necessary legal procedures are underway.

Police have arrested a local leader of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) on charges of raping a college girl in Jashore's Chougachha upazila. The arrestee, Arafat Hossain Rabbi, 22, is the senior joint general secretary of the Chougachha Government College unit of JCD and a resident of Balidapara village under Fulsara union in the upazila. He was picked up on Saturday night following a case filed by the victim over the incident that took place earlier in the day. According to the case statement, the victim, a Class-XII student, sought Rabbi's help in obtaining her National Identity Card. Although the Upazila Election Office was closed due to a public holiday on Saturday, Rabbi allegedly took her to Chougachha municipality in the morning. The complaint alleged that he later persuaded her to accompany him to a house in the Niribilipara area of the municipality, where he allegedly raped her. After returning home, the victim informed her parents of the incident and later filed the case at Chougachha Police Station. Officer-in-Charge Mamunur Rashid of the police station said the accused was produced before a court on Sunday. He also said they were investigating the incident.

Days after videos of Bengal tigers roaming the Sundarbans drew widespread attention, a tourist has captured rare footage of a saltwater crocodile feeding on a goat in the world's largest mangrove forest. The 27-second video was recorded on Saturday noon near the Ghagramari Forest Office in the Dhangmari Khal under the Sundarbans East Division. The footage, captured on a mobile phone by a tourist travelling through the area, shows a crocodile eating a goat in the canal. After being shared on social media, the video sparked concern among tourists planning to visit the Sundarbans. Tiger sightings in the Sundarbans have frequently been recorded by tourists and forest officials in recent weeks.

A man was allegedly hacked to death by his younger brother over a family land dispute in Mirpur upazila of Kushtia on Saturday evening. The deceased was identified as Nur Islam, son of late Wahab Mondol of Thakurpara village under Bahalbaria Union. Police detained his younger brother, Helal, 44, in connection with the incident. According to police and local sources, an argument broke out between the two brothers around 7 pm over family land. At one stage, Helal allegedly attacked Nur Islam with a sharp hatchet, leaving him critically injured. Locals rescued Nur Islam and took him to Kushtia General Hospital, where he died around 9pm while undergoing treatment. Mirpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Shahidul Islam said the body had been kept at the Kushtia General Hospital morgue for an autopsy. Further legal action is underway, the OC said.

A tourist died after falling into the sea while parasailing at the Sea Sports Parasailing Point in the Dariyanagar area along Cox's Bazar's Marine Drive on Saturday. The deceased was identified as Shouvik Roy, a resident of Khulna district. He had travelled to Cox's Bazar with a tour group. Sheikh Mohammad Ali, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Cox's Bazar Sadar Model Police Station, said the accident occurred at around 12:30 pm in the Dariyanagar beach area. Subaktagin Mohammad Sahel, Resident Medical Officer (RMO) of Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital, said Shouvik was brought to the hospital at around 2:10 pm but had died before arrival. "Initially, it is believed that he died after falling into the sea. However, the exact cause of death will be known after the autopsy report is received," he said.