United News of Bangladesh

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Tuesday said the government – under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman – has fulfilled its commitments even before the ballot ink dried on voters’ fingers. Speaking as the chief guest at the inauguration of the Farmers’ Card distribution programme in Teknaf upazila, he said the BNP delivers on its promises to the people. “Bangladesh is an agriculture-based country. If farmers are strong, the nation will be strong,” the minister said, adding that the government has launched canal excavation programme nationwide to build a self-reliant country envisioned by Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman. He said the government has already waived agricultural loans of up to Tk 10,000, including interest, and described the distribution of Farmers’ Cards on Pahela Baishakh as a “historic moment” in national life. Highlighting law-and-order issues, Salahuddin said the government will soon launch drives to eliminate terrorism and drugs, and has instructed law enforcement agencies to prevent human trafficking in Cox’s Bazar. He also said steps will be taken to curb kidnapping, gambling and online betting. Under a pilot project of the agriculture department, a total of 1,698 farmers in Teknaf upazila received the Farmers’ Cards, including 1,463 male farmers and 235 female farmers.

Production at Eastern Refinery Limited, the country’s only state-owned oil refinery, has been halted due to a shortage of crude oil, officials said. The production at the two major units of the refinery was suspended on Tuesday noon. The third unit is, however, running partially, producing an insignificant amount of petrol and octane. Spokesperson for the Energy and Mineral Resources Division Monir Hossain Chowdhury confirmed the matter. However, no officials from the refinery agreed to comment. Sources said the crisis stems from a lack of crude oil supply, worsened by disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict. A crude oil shipment remains stuck in Saudi Arabia, leading to a depletion of existing stock since the beginning of the current month. The refinery had been operating through alternative measures since April 5. Eastern Refinery usually processes around 4,500 tonnes of crude oil daily, producing about 13 types of fuel, including octane, petrol, diesel and furnace oil. However, output had already been reduced to around 3,500 tonnes per day over the past month due to the crude oil shortage. Officials said crude imports have remained suspended for nearly two months amid instability caused by the US-Israel war on Iran. The next shipment is expected to arrive in the first week of May. The refinery has a crude storage capacity of around 150,000 tonnes and can store up to 250,000 tonnes of refined fuel. Despite the shutdown, officials said there is no immediate risk of fuel shortage in the country as the government has ensured sufficient reserves of refined petroleum products, even purchasing at higher prices since the start of the conflict.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Sardar Md Shakhawat Husain on Tuesday said health cards will be launched by June this year as part of the government’s efforts to strengthen healthcare services. “We expect to move the nation forward in the new year. Allocation for the health sector will be increased in the upcoming national budget to ensure overall development,” said a PID handout. The minister made the remarks while inaugurating a traditional fair marking the Bengali New Year at the Monohardi Upazila Parishad premises in Narsingdi. Highlighting government initiatives for public welfare, he said steps such as agricultural loan waivers, allocations for the underprivileged, TR and Kabikha programmes, and canal excavation projects have been undertaken. He also said measles vaccination campaigns are currently underway in 30 upazilas and four city corporations to curb the outbreak. “From April 20, children across the country will be administered measles vaccines and Vitamin A capsules. We are working to contain the spread of measles and hope the situation will come under control soon,” he added. Earlier, a colourful Pahela Baishakh procession was brought out from the upazila parishad premises.

At least 17 people have been injured in sporadic clashes between residents of two neighbourhoods in Sirajganj municipality over dominance, police said. Among the injured, seven were admitted to hospital for treatment. Officer-in-Charge of Sadar Police Station Rakibul Hasan said tensions had been prevailing for a long time between residents of Purnobason and Naiyabari areas in the municipality, which eventually led to a clash on Monday night. The violence continued in phases, accompanied by vandalism, creating panic in the area. The rival groups reportedly used sharp weapons and threw brick chips during the clashes. Police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. However, fresh clashes broke out again on Tuesday morning between the two groups. Law enforcers again intervened to control the situation and additional police were deployed in the area to fend off further violence. A case was filed and six people were arrested over the incident.

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman on Tuesday said there is no scope for political consideration in the distribution of Farmers’ Cards, emphasising that small and marginal farmers will be the primary beneficiaries of the government initiative. He made the remarks while talking to journalists after distributing Farmers’ Cards at Abaipur village in Shailkupa upazila of Jhenaidah. The minister said the government has been implementing pledges made by the BNP in its electoral manifesto, adding that several pro-farmer measures have already been taken. “The government has waived agricultural loans of up to Tk 10,000 for farmers. Now, we have started distributing Farmers’ Cards. A nationwide canal excavation programme has also been launched to boost agricultural production,” he said. Asked about allegations made by opposition Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami that opposition voices are being suppressed in Parliament, Asaduzzaman dismissed those, saying they are being given more time than allocated to speak in the House. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman virtually joined the inauguration ceremony of the Farmers’ Card distribution programme held at Kripalpur Govt Primary School under Abaipur union. Among others, Jhenaidah Deputy Commissioner Noman Hossain, Superintendent of Police Mahfuz Afzal, Zila Parishad Administrator MA Majid, district BNP General Secretary Zahiduzzaman Mona, and Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension Md Kamruzzaman were present at the event. A total of 1,679 farmers received the cards under the pilot phase of the programme in Kripalpur block of Abaipur union.

At least seven people were killed and six others injured after a rice-laden truck plunged into a roadside ditch on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway in Daudkandi upazila of Cumilla district early Tuesday. The deceased were identified as Sohrab hossain, son of Alam of Khalibpur village, Afzal Hossain, son of Azad Mia, Salek, son of Fazlur Rahman of Nababganj upazila, Sumon, son of Palash Mia, Bishu, Abul Hossain, son of Mazharul Islam and Abdur Rashid, son of Rakibullah of Birampur upazila in Dinajpur district. Iqbal Bahar, Inspector of Daudkandi Highway Police said the accident occurred around 3 am when the Chattogram-bound rice-laden truck from Dinajpur skidded off the road and fell into a ditch, leaving seven people killed on the spot and six others injured. The injured were taken to local hospital. A total of 13 people travelling on top of the truck were trapped underneath after the accident. Vehicular movement on the highway was disrupted for some time following the accident. Police seized the truck but could not arrest its driver and helper.    

A mobile court has sentenced five fishermen to jail for catching jatka in violation of a government ban in the Meghna River in Chandpur Sadar upazila. During the drive, three fishing boats and about 5,000 metres of illegal current nets were seized. The mobile court was conducted on Monday afternoon at the Coast Guard Chandpur Station by Executive Magistrate Tanvir Rabbi of the Deputy Commissioner’s office and Assistant Commissioner (Land) of Sadar upazila Bappi Dutta Rony. The convicted fishermen were identified as Hazrat Ali, 30, Shuvo Patwari, 18, Zainal Uddin, 75, Mecher Uddin, 40, all from Chandpur Sadar, and Abdul, 24, from Matlab North upazila. Among them, Abdul was sentenced to 15 days’ imprisonment, while the other four were each given seven days’ jail and fined Tk 200. Sadar Upazila Assistant Fisheries Officer Md Mizanur Rahman confirmed this. He said the drive was conducted from 12pm to 5pm in several areas along the Meghna River, including Anand Bazar, Shafarmali, Rajrajeshwar, Mini Cox’s Bazar, Charmukundi and Boharia. The operation was jointly carried out by the upazila administration, the Deputy Commissioner’s office, Coast Guard and river police. During the drive, the fishermen were detained along with three boats from the Meghna River near Gazirtek and Charmukundi areas under Rajrajeshwar union. The seized nets were later destroyed, while the boats have been kept in the custody of the Coast Guard, the official added.

A housewife has reportedly been gang raped by four people in Manpura upazila of Bhola district on Sunday. The crime incident came to light on Sunday as the rape survivor filed a case with Monpura Police Station, said Md Farid Uddin, officer-in-charge of Monpura Police Station. According to the case statement, some 3-4 people, led by Miraj swooped on the house of the rape survivor around 1am, breaking open the door, on Saturday and violated her in turns in front of her two children. 3 held for violating speech-impaired woman in Bhola The husband of the housewife was absent as he used to live in char areas due to rearing buffellowes. They also looted valuables including gold ornaments from the house. Police arrested the prime accused Miraj, son of Kamal of Hazirhat union, in this connection on Sunday night. The father of the housewife was also injured as Miraj hit him with a sharp weapon on Sunday as he tried to catch Miraj. He was taken to Noakhali for better treatment. Police are trying to arrest the others involved in rape, said OC.

A Rangpur court on Monday convicted a man and sentenced him to death for killing a police officer in 2021. Rangpur Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Marzia Khatun handed down the punishment. The condemned convict was identified as Pervez Rahman Palash, a drug trader and son of Zahidul Islam from the Haragach area. The court also fined him Tk 10,000 and sentenced him to five years imprisonment in two separate sections of the case. Youth hacked to death in Rangpur According to the prosecution, Piarul Islam, an assistant sub-inspector of Haragach Police Station, was stabbed to death by the convict during an anti-narcotics drive at Shahebganj in Rangpur city on September 25, 2021. Police arrested Palash from the spot along with drugs. Two separate cases—one under the Narcotics Act and another for murder—were filed against Palash.

Interns at Dinajpur Medical College Hospital went on work abstention early Monday protesting ‘attacks on physicians by a patients’ relatives’. The interns began the protest around 3:30 am locking the gate of emergency department, hospital sources said. According to hospital authorities, a 65-year-old patient, Abdus Samad from Ramnagar in the city, was admitted to the emergency department around 12:30 am in critical condition after suffering a heart attack. He was later transferred to the CCU of the cardiac ward and the patient’s relatives were informed about his critical condition. He died within an hour of treatment around 1:30 am. Following his death, his relatives allegedly assaulted attending medical officer, Dr. Abdullah Al Muin.  The relatives took the body away around 3:30 am. Medical services including patient admission were disrupted as intern doctors locked the emergency department gate following the chaos. However, hospital authorities denied that the gate had been locked and new patient admissions resumed at around 9:30 am. Additional police have been deployed at the hospital. Kotwali Police Station has detained a relative of the deceased patient, Yakub Ali, in connection with the alleged assault on the doctor. To resolve the situation, hospital director Dr. Fazlur Rahman called a meeting with department heads and protesting interns around 12 pm.