District
Cyclone Sitrang: 409 shelters ready in Khulna
Local administration in Khulna has prepared 409 cyclone shelters to evacuate people as cyclone ‘Sitrang’ is expected to make landfall in southern Bangladeshi coast by early Tuesday.
Cyclone 'Sitrang' is likely to hit 19 coastal districts including Khulna, Satkhira and Bagerhat, according to a weather bulletin.
Maritime ports of Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist danger signal No 7, warned Bangladesh Meteorological Department in their latest bulletin on Monday morning.
Read: Cyclone Sitrang: Heavy rains continue to batter Bangladesh amid flood warning across coastal region
Locals in dread as firing inside Myanmar rocks Naikhongchhari
The firing on the Myanmar side of the international border started again Sunday, striking fear inside the locals from Dochari to Sadar unions of Bandarban's Naikhongchhari upazila.
Firing resumed on the Myanmar side of the Bangladesh border, where the Myanmar army is engaged in fighting a well-resourced insurgency forged by the Arakan Army, around 11:30am and continued for three hours, gripping the locals with fear.
Gunshots and explosions have often been heard in the border areas for a few months as the country's military has clashed with separatist groups.
"Fortunately, no casualties were reported inside Bangladesh. More than 200 families living on the edge of the border were asked to move to safety. And many panicked locals went to their relatives' houses," Dochari union Chairman Muhammad Imran said.
In the face of continuous gunfire and mortar shelling inside Myanmar close to the Bangladesh border for six hours after a week's lull on Saturday, local authorities evacuated 30 families in Dochari and Ghumdhum unions of Naikhongchhari to safety.
At least 15 rounds of stray bullets from Myanmar landed in Bangladesh yesterday. Fortunately, there was no casualty inside Bangladesh.
Naikhongchhari Sadar union parishad chairman Nurul Absar Imon said: "Before 11:30am Sunday, there was no firing in the area. But it suddenly started again today. Families whose houses are too close to the border were requested to move to safety."
The Arakan Army, an ethnic armed organisation based in Rakhine state, had stopped taking up positions near the border for a long time, instead operating deep inside Myanmar. But over the past week, the Arakan Army has positioned itself closer to the border.
3 Titas staff attacked for cutting illegal gas connection of Gazipur factory
At least three members of Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited were wounded as some assailants attacked them while they were disconnecting the illegal gas connection of a garment factory in Gazipur's Kaliakoir.
The injured officials are -- Atiur Chowdhury, assistant engineer of Titas Chandra region, deputy assistant engineer Sabinur Rahman and manager Mustafa Mahabub.
They were treated at a local hospital, said Shahzada Faraji, deputy general manager (Marketing) of the Gazipur office.
Preparations are underway to file a case at the Kaliakoir police station in this regard, he added.
According to police, Aymon Textile Limited situated in Gazipur's Palli Vidyut area of Kaliakoir upazila, was running a factory with an illegal gas connection.
Being informed, Titas Gas regional office authorities went to disconnect the illegal connection on Sunday noon. Suddenly, 20-30 men from the factory attacked the Titas officials and beat them mercilessly.
Later they managed to disconnect the illegal connection with the help of Kaliakoir police and returned from the spot.
Legal action will be taken if a written complaint is received in this regard, said Akbar Ali Khan, officer-in-charge of Kaliakoir police station.
Attack on interns: RMCH interns call off strike after yet another assurance
Interns at Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH) on Sunday called off an ongoing strike, which resumed on Saturday afternoon, as the authorities concerned assured them of fulfilling their demands.
President of the Intern Doctors Association Dr Imran Hossain said they called off their strike after a fruitful meeting with the hospital management committee and they joined their work from Sunday afternoon.
Director of the Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital, Brig General Shamim Yeazdani said they sat with the interns to resolve the issue and after a brief meeting the interns decided to go back to their work.
Medical services at the hospital had been suspended since Saturday afternoon as the interns enforced an indefinite strike, causing immense sufferings to the patients.
Earlier, in the day, the students of Rajshahi University brought out a procession protesting the death of a fellow student on the campus. They also took position in front of the main gate of Rajshahi University to press home their nine-point demand including arrest of those involved in the attack on students and laps on the part of medical students.
Later, the interns of Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital also brought out a procession protesting a scuffle between the RU students and medical interns. They also threatened to continue their strike if the authorities concerned would not take any effective measures in arresting the attackers and ensuring a healthy atmosphere for work.
On Wednesday night, Shahriar, the fourth-year student of the university's marketing department, died after allegedly falling off the roof of Shaheed Habibur Rahman Hall.
After Shahriar fell off the roof of Shaheed Habibur Rahman Hall of the university on Wednesday night, some students took him to RMCH where he was declared dead on arrival.
A student, named Jahangir, who was at the scene, however, told UNB that Shahriar was taken to the hospital around 8.30pm. "But he was not given treatment till 9.30pm. There was no doctor at the emergency department. Only an intern was there."
Meanwhile, Shahriar's classmates vandalised the hospital as the doctors did not come on time. That led to a scuffle between the students and the medical interns.
Later, the interns embarked on an indefinite strike, protesting the attack on them by some students of RU.
On the other hand, the RU students thronged the area and demanded punishment against the attackers. Both sides dispersed subsequently.
At 1 pm on Saturday, a human chain was formed and a rally was held at RMCH premises protesting the attack by RU students, vandalisation and obstructing administrative duty.
Dr Imran Hossain, President of Intern Doctors Council, announced a 72-hour long strike from the rally.
A five-member probe body has been formed to look into the incident.
Maidul Islam, officer-in-charge of Razpara Police Station said, two complaints have been lodged and no one was arrested yet.”
BSCIC Kurigram estate fire destroys over Tk50 lakh valuables
Valuables worth over Tk50 lakh were estimated to have been destroyed in a cotton factory fire in the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) industrial estate in Kurigram.
Fortunately, no casualties were reported from the fire Sunday.
The fire broke out at Bhai Bhai and Maa Textile Factory in the industrial estate in Belgacha union of Sadar upazila around 9:30am and spread fast.
Jasim Uddin, deputy director of the Fire Service and Civil Defence department in Sadar upazila, said five firefighting units responded to the blaze around 9:55am and could tame the flames after two hours.
The cause of the fire could not immediately be confirmed, he added.
Shawon Islam, the nephew of the factory owner Mohsin Sekhar, said: "We do not know what caused the fire accident but were trying to find it out from closed circuit television camera footage."
"Although no one was injured in the accident, valuables worth Tk50-60 lakh were destroyed."
Vandalism at Khulna railway station: 170 BNP leaders, activists sued
Around 170 BNP leaders and activists have been sued in connection with vandalism at the railway station in Khulna during the party's divisional rally.
Station master Manik Chandra Sarkar filed an FIR at Khulna railway police station on Saturday night, said Md Khabir Ahmed, officer-in-charge (OC) of the police station.
BNP activists clashed with police at Khulna Railway Station Saturday noon, alleging that they were being obstructed from joining the party's divisional rally.
At that time, BNP workers threw bricks at the police and broke the glass of the station door.
Around 11:30am, BNP activists coming from different parts of the country got into “a fight amongst themselves” and vandalized some window glasses at the station, Khulna station master Manik Chandra Sarkar said.
When police came to the spot after being informed, BNP activists threw brick chips and vandalized more doors and windows of the station, he said.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Khulna Metropolitan police Sonali Sen said police didn't obstruct anyone and tried to handle the situation patiently.
3 killed as launch hits bridge in Shariatpur
Three passengers of a launch were killed and two others injured after it hit a bridge over the Jayantia River in Gosairhat upazila of Shariatpur early Sunday.
The deceased were identified as Tanji, 23, Shakil Ahmed, 25, and Sagar Ali, 23.
The water tank of ‘Swarno Dwip’ launch fell on five passengers around 4 am when it hit the Shaikkha Bridge over the branch river of the Meghna in Maijara area, leaving Tanji dead on spot and four people injured, said Md Motiur rahman, sub-inspector (SI) of Gosairhat police station.
The injured were rushed to Gosairhat Upazila Health Complex where Shakil and Sagar were declared dead on arrival, he added.
The launch driver and his assistant were taken to the police station, said the SI.
Gosairhat Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Kafi Bin Kabir said the victims’ families will be provided with Tk 20,000.
BGB man killed as his motorcycle collides with bus, causing fireball
A member of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) was killed after a bus caught fire following a collision with his motorcycle in Sadar upazila of Jashore on Saturday.
The deceased was identified as Mehedi Hasan, 29, son of Habibur Rahman of Sonadanga in Khulna city. He was posted at the Chuadanga BGB camp.
The accident occurred in the Rupdia area around 3:30pm when Mehedi was returning to work after a two-day vacation spent at home.
Police said a motorcycle heading towards Jashore collided head-on with the Khulna-bound Hanif Paribahan.
Mehedi, riding his motorcycle, went under the bus after colliding with it.
Later, the motorcycle exploded and the bus caught fire, leaving Mehedi dead on the spot.
On information, firefighters reached the spot and brought the fire under control, said Azizul Haque, senior assistant officer of Jashore Fire Service and Civil Defense.
Nazmul Hasan of Narendrapur police outpost said the body has been sent to the Jashore General Hospital morgue for an autopsy.
Khulna transport strike called off shortly after BNP rally wraps up
The transport owners and workers in Khulna called off their strike shortly after the BNP's divisional rally in the city ended.
Zakir Hossain Biplab, general secretary of Khulna Motor Workers' Union, said they resumed bus operation as the owners' association, who apparently called the strike over several demands, asked them to resume the service.
Earlier, the Khulna District Bus-Minibus Owners' Association announced the two-day strike starting from Friday morning to meet their various demands.
Meanwhile, the Khulna branch of Bangladesh Launch Labor Association called off their strike in the city.
Delwar Hossain, organising secretary of the organisation said they announced the 48-hour strike on various demands including an increase in fares.
However, the strike was called off with the assurance that the demands will be met by October 30, in a meeting between the owners and workers on Friday night.
The movement of launches started in the evening following the decision, he added.
Shahadat Bepari, general secretary of Rupsa Ghat Majhi Samity, said that in the evening there was a meeting with the local administration who assured them to fulfil their demands.
Trawlers' movement started from Rupsa Ghat in the evening following the assurance, said Shahadat adding that service is now normal.
RU-RMCH spat keeps going around in circles
Authorities of Rajshahi University (RU) on Saturday lodged a written complaint, or First Information Report, at a local police station over an alleged attack on their students at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH), following the death of a student at the hospital, apparently due to negligence on Wednesday night.
The complaint signed by the university’s Registrar Prof Abdus Salam was lodged on Saturday afternoon, two days after the RMCH authority lodged a complaint of their own accusing 300 unidentified RU students for initiating the violence by attacking the hospital’s doctors, intern doctors, nurses and staff and vandalising its premises.
Jahangir Alam, officer-in-charge of Rajpara police station, said they received a complaint from RU regarding an attack on their students by the RMCH authority, but are yet to record it as a case.
“An immediate measure will be taken in this regard following scrutiny,” OC Jahangir said.
On Wednesday night, MGM Shahriar, a fourth-year student of the university's marketing department, died after falling off the roof of Shaheed Habibur Rahman Hall.
After Shahriar fell, some students took him to RMCH, where he was declared dead on arrival.
Meanwhile, Shahriar's batchmates vandalised the hospital as according to them, the doctors did not attend to Shahriar in time. It led to a scuffle between the students and the medical interns. Hospital property ended up getting vandalized.
Later, the interns embarked on an indefinite strike, protesting the attack on them by students of RU, who thronged the area and demanded punishment of the attackers. Both sides dispersed subsequently. The interns returned to work as well, on condition that the students who engaged in violence be arrested within 24 hours.
Since that did not happen, the intern doctors announced a 72-hour work abstention today (Saturday), reports our RU correspondent.
RMCH authorities formed a five-member panel on Thursday to probe the death of Shahriar, in the wake of the allegations of negligence on the part of their doctors.
The university also formed two separate probe bodies. One is to investigate how the deceased student fell off the corridor of the hall and another is to investigate the entire incident on Wednesday night at the hospital premises. They were asked to submit their reports within three days.
RU students will form a human chain on Sunday morning in front of the university’s main entrance, protesting against the alleged negligence in Shahriar’s treatment by doctors.