United News of Bangladesh

A woman, who was hacked allegedly by her stepson at Sabdalpur village in Chandina upazila of Cumilla on Wednesday night, died  in Dhaka on Thursday. The victim is Halima Khatun, 34, second wife of Emdadul Haque Munshi. According to locals, Emdadul, 75 lost his first wife about three years ago. He has four sons and three daughters - all married and the four sons work in Saudi Arabia. The youngest, Shahin, returned home from the KSA eight months ago and Emdadul married Halima Khatun of Joynagar village in Daudkandi two months ago. Emdadul said that he had gone to the washroom when his wife was hacked. “When I returned, I found my wife bleeding on the bed. I called for help and family members rushed in. We took her to Cumilla Medical College Hospital and later to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where doctors declared her dead,” he added. Shirin Akhter, wife of Emdadul’s third son, said, “We woke up to screams and saw Shahin leaving the room. My stepmother-in-law was lying in blood.” 5 arrested for rape of housewife in Cumilla Former Bataghasi Union Parishad chairman Shahjahan Siraj, a relative of the family, said, “There was no family dispute over Emdadul’s second marriage. No one knows why Shahin attacked his stepmother. He fled right after the incident.” Javedul Islam, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Chandina Police Station said they recovered the body from the spot. The victim’s husband has filed a written complaint, he said.    

Two children drowned in the Nabaganga River in Jhenaidah’s Sadar upazila on Thursday afternoon. The deceased were identified as Arian, 4, son of Sohel Mia, and Tasnim, 4, daughter of Imdadul Islam Tara Mia, both residents of the Katlamari Kuthirpara village under the upazila. Jahangir Al Mamun, Sub-Inspector of Katlamari Police Camp, said three children went to bathe in the river when Arian and Tasnim accidentally slipped into water and drowned. The third child ran home and informed their families who later recovered the bodies from the river, he added. Abdullah Al Mamun, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Jhenaidah Sadar Police Station, said no complaint was lodged by the families and the bodies were handed over to the relatives for burial.

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-4 rescued a four-year-old girl, who was abducted  using ‘devil breath’, from Pallabi area of Dhaka and arrested three people from Keraniganj of Dhaka on Wednesday. The arrestees were Swapan Sardar, 41, Beauty Begum, 40 and Nargis Begum, 30. Tipped off, a team of Rab-4 conducted a drive in Charail area of Keraniganj and rescued the girl, said Major Abrar Foysal Sadi, media officer of Rab-4. The rescued girl was handed over to her family on Wednesday. RAB-4, Mirpur sources said the victim’s mother passed away three years ago. Since then, the child had been living with her father and grandparents at a house in Mirpur-11. Robber 'ringleader' of Ranga Bahini held in Sundarbans On October 23, the four-year-old girl went missing from in front of her house. The family filed a general diary (GD) with Pallabi Police Station. On October 29, RAB conducted a drive in front of the Rongdhonu Convention Center in Pallabi area and arrested Swapan. During interrogation, he confessed that he had abducted the girl using ‘devil breath’ and handed her over to Swapan’s second wife Beauty in Mirpur-12. Based on his information, RAB conducted a drive at the house of Beauty and arrested her. During interrogation, the RAB members came to know that the abducted child had been kept confined at a rented house in the Charail area of Keraniganj under the custody of Swapan’s first wife Nargis Begum. Later, the RAB team raided the house and rescued the girl and arrested Nargis. All the arrestees are members of a child kidnapping gang, said Rab. After interrogation, the arrestees said that they had a plan to sell the abducted girl to a childless couple in exchange of Tk 2.5 lakh.      

At least seven business structures were gutted in a fire at Hazrakati Bazar in Tala upazila of Satkhira early Thursday. Officer-in-charge Mainuddin of Tala Police Station said the fire erupted from one of the shops around 3 am and engulfed adjacent others. Fire allegedly causes Tk 25 lakh loss at Sylhet hardware shop, claim proprietors Being informed, a fire fighting unit from Tala Fire Station rushed to the scene and managed to bring the blaze under control after half and hour of efforts, he said. The fire might have originated from a stove flame, the OC said. Five shops were completely damaged while two others were partially, the businessmen said, adding that affected-shops included two sweetmeat shops and several tea stalls.  

A motorcyclist was killed after his bike caught fire following a head-on collision with a truck in Mohanpur upazila of Rajshahi early Thursday. The deceased was identified as Ismail Hossain, son of Abul Hossain from Hazarapara village under the upazila. Ataur Rahman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Mohanpur Police Station, said the accident occurred around 5:30 am near the Kalitala flour mill in Kesharhat municipality. Man killed in Sharsha train accident Quoting witnesses, the OC said the motorcycle and the truck collided head-on, causing the bike to burst into flames and leaving Ismail dead on the spot. Upon receiving information, fire service personnel rushed to the scene, extinguished the blaze and recovered the body.  The victim was identified through his NID card found in his trouser pocket, the OC added. Police seized the damaged vehicles, while the truck driver and his helper fled the scene shortly after the crash, said the OC.  

The district administration sealed two restaurants and fined another Tk 20,000 in Haripur Bazar of Jaintiapur upazila for allegedly selling wild bird meat. The drive was conducted around 10:30pm Tuesday under the leadership of Jaintiapur Upazila Nirbahi Officer and Executive Magistrate George Mitra Chakma. A team from the 27th Bir Unit of Haripur Gasfield Army Camp and members of Jaintiapur Model Police Station joined the operation. Officials from the Forest Department were also present. During the raid, Shahporan Hotel and Tanvir Hotel were found selling bird meat in violation of the Wildlife Protection Act. As a result, both hotels were sealed. Teen girl abducted in Sylhet rescued from Sunamganj; 1 arrested Besides, Sonar Bangla Restaurant was fined Tk 20,000 for preparing and storing food in unhygienic conditions. Authorities said that none of the owners of the sealed hotels were present at the scene during the operation. UNO George Mitra Chakma said, “Operations will continue regularly to protect wildlife and prevent illegal sale of bird meat.”    

A fire at a hardware shop in Bishwanath upazila of Sylhet early Wednesday burned goods worth around Tk 25 lakh. The blaze broke out around 5am at “Messrs Enamul Haque & Brothers” in Singerkach Bazar under Daulatpur Union. According to locals, seven workers who install tube wells were sleeping inside the shop. They woke up after feeling the heat and managed to open the shutter and get out safely. Initially, locals tried to douse the fire before firefighters arrived. Later, two units of Bishwanath Fire Service rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control after about an hour of effort. All goods inside the shop were destroyed. There were fears that the fire could spread to an adjacent furniture shop, but quick action by firefighters prevented a major disaster there. Shop director Saidul Islam and his cousin Amir Ali said that they suspect an electrical short circuit might have caused the fire. Teen girl abducted in Sylhet rescued from Sunamganj; 1 arrested Additionally, they informed that the shop was a dealer of RFL, Gazi and A-One companies and the losses would be around Tk 25 lakh. Bishwanath Fire Service Station Officer Akramul Islam said, “A battery-run van inside the shop may have exploded due to overcharging and sparked the fire.”    

About 500 workers at Opsonin Saline (OSL) Pharma Ltd in Barishal were simultaneously laid off on Wednesday, sparking protests. The factory management delivered layoff notices to the employees by post around midday. Following the notification, unrest broke out among the workers, who gathered in front of the company’s Bogra Road facility to protest. A brief clash occurred between workers and company personnel, but the demonstration subsided after management promised to make a decision by Saturday. All affected workers were employed in the company’s Steripack Department. The protesting employees claimed that the layoffs were issued without any reason. The notices were signed by the company’s Deputy Manager of Human Resources and the HR In-Charge. Workers expressed concern over their livelihoods, saying, “We have families to support. How will these households survive after being laid off without cause? If the company does not allow us to return to work, we will take stronger action.” The official notice stated that due to circumstances beyond company control, production in the Steripack Department could no longer continue. Consequently, under Bangladesh Labour Law 2006, Section 26(3), all employees of the department will be dismissed effective Nov 1, 2025, with final dues to be paid by Nov 20, 2025.

A court in Chuadanga on Wednesday sentenced Shukur Ali to death for the murder of his wife, Laily Sultana Kumkum. Shukur Ali’s father, Asan Mallik, and mother, Saheda Khatun, were acquitted in the same case. The verdict was delivered by Judge Syed Habibul Islam of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal (District and Sessions Judge) at a midday hearing. Shukur Ali, a resident of Enayetpur Schoolpara in Alamdanga upazila, is currently fugitive, said Public Prosecutor Advocate Maruf Sarwar Babu. According to case details, Kumkum was beaten to death on 27 November 2014 at her husband’s residence in Enayetpur over dowry demands. Following the incident, her father, Samsul Zowarder of Pardurgapur, Alamdanga, filed a murder case at Alamdanga Police Station against his son-in-law Shukur Ali, and his in-laws, Asan Mallik and Saheda Khatun. Chuadanga farmers count ‘hundreds of crore’ in losses as climate change devastates livelihoods After a prolonged investigation, Alamdanga Police Officer-in-Charge SI Anisur Rahman filed charges against the three accused. The court, finding the case proven beyond doubt, handed down the death penalty to Shukur Ali while acquitting the other two accused.  

A man was killed after being hit by the Benapole-bound `Betna Express’ train in Sharsha upazila of Jessore on Wednesday evening. The accident occurred at the Sharsha-Jamtala road railway crossing, said sources. The deceased, Chandu Mia (50), was the son of the late Kazi Motiar Rahman of Kazi Para in Sharsha. 2 teenagers killed in Jashore road accident Benapol Railway Station Master Saiduzzaman said that the Betna Express, coming from Mongla towards Benapole, struck Chandu Mia while he was walking along the railway tracks. He died instantly. The railway police recovered the body and handed it over to the family.