District
Police baton-charge BCL men in Barguna: Probe body finds 13 police at fault
The probe committee, formed for looking into the incident of charged baton on the activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) during an infighting in Barguna, recommended taking punitive action against thirteen police officials, said an official of Barishal range police.
The committee headed by its chief Additional Deputy Inspector General Faruk submitted the report to the Deputy Inspector General of Barishal Range Police Aktaruzzaman on Sunday.
However, the DIG refused to make any comment in this regard.
According to the sources of Barishal range police, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Muharram Ali, who was withdrawn earlier and 12 others were made responsible in the incident.
On August 15, at least 20 people were injured in the infighting between two factions of the BCL Barguna unit during a National Mourning Day discussion.
The groups got into a scuffle following a heated argument during the discussion.
Read: ASP withdrawn after cops charge baton on Barguna BCL activists
At one stage, they started hurling brick chips at each other and vandalised a police vehicle, SM Tariqul Islam, additional superintendent of Barguna police, said. "Later police had to use batons to bring the situation under control."
"Two BCL activists were arrested from the spot, and several of them suffered injuries," Tariqul added.
On August 16, ASP Muharram Ali was withdrawn from his duties.
Muharram Ali was attached to Barishal Range DIG office, said Barishal range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) SM Aktaruzzaman on August 16.
Besides, five policemen were withdrawn and attached to Pirojpur and Bhola district police lines
Later, a three-member probe body headed by Additional Deputy Inspector General Faruk was formed to look into the incident.
Two AL leaders die after car collides with lorry in Ctg
Two local leaders of the ruling Awami League were killed and two others sustained injuries when their car crashed into a lorry at Pahartali of Chattogram city Monday, police said.
The deceased AL leaders were identified as Mohammad Nasir, 40, general secretary of Awami League Baraiadhala No 2 Ward of Sitakunda Upazila; and Jubo League President of the same ward Mohammad Kamal Uddin.
The injured Raju Chowdhury, 60, president of Banshbaria Union Awami League and Ismail Hossain, 65, president of Ward No. 2 Awami League, are undergoing treatment at Chittagong Medical College and Hospital.
Tea workers: Chasm opens up over 3am deal signed without workers' knowledge
The general tea garden workers and union leaders are now divided over continuing their indefinite strike for a hike in their daily wage to Tk 300 from Tk 120, after the leaders signed a deal with the government at 3am Monday to return to work.
Following a meeting held between the Bangladesh Tea Worker Union Leaders and Moulvibazar district administration that started Sunday night and ran into the wee hours of Monday, the union leaders announced the workers will withdraw their strike and return to work with the issue of their wages unresolved, except for a vague promise that the prime minister herself would intervene in the matter, at some point before Durga Puja.
However, on Monday morning when two leaders went to call the workers of Kalighat tea garden in Sreemangal upazila for suspending the strike and returning to work, a group of general workers agitated over the decision and allegedly a physical altercation broke out.
Similar situations arose in other gardens on Monday as some of the general workers returned to work while others refused to follow the decision and continued the strike.
Also read: Tea workers call off strike, return to work with previous wage of Tk 120
Tea Workers Rights Movement President Ridesh Modi said, “Why did we enforce a strike for so long if we have to return to work with the previous wage?”
On Sunday night an emergency meeting was held between the tea worker leaders and Moulvibazar district administration, apparently on instructions from the Prime Minister to resolve the current situation.
After the meeting led by Moulvibazar Deputy Commissioner Mir Nahid Hasan, a joint statement signed by both parties on five conditions was issued.
According to the written statement, Bangladesh Tea Workers Union reg No-B 77 would "withdraw their strike and join work from Monday, keeping faith and trust in the prime minister".
Regarding the wage, it mentioned the workers will rejoin work at the current daily wage of Tk 120 for the time being.
The union leaders claimed they appealed for holding a video conference with the prime minister before the Durga Puja celebration this year to present their demands through the district administration.
The statement was signed on condition of Moulvibazar DC submitting their demands to the prime minister in writing and the tea plantation owners paying the wages of workers forfeited during the strike, as per the prevailing practice and procedures, said the leaders.
Nipen Paul, General Secretary of Bangladesh Tea Workers Union, said on August 20 after a meeting with the Labour Department, they suggested the general workers return to work with a hiked wage of Tk 145 and suspend the strike for the time being. But they refused and preferred to work for the Tk 120 wage till the prime minister fixes the final wage for impoverished tea workers.
Also read: Tea workers return to strike for Tk 300 wage; block Dhaka-Sylhet highway
“We gave the statement in accordance with their demands," said Nipen Paul.
Mohan Rabidas, leading the general workers’ movement, said, ”The leaders never consulted with the general workers of the decisions they made or the meetings they held. The leaders are liable for the situation that has arisen now.”
38 hatchlings from one crocodile at Sundarbans breeding centre
Pilpil, a crocodile at the Karamjal Wildlife Breeding Centre in the Sundarbans, got 38 hatchlings on Monday, said forest officials.
This is the first time that the authorities concerned of Karamjal Wildlife Breeding Centre get 100 per cent success in a hatchling procession.
Azad Kabir, officer-in-charge of Karamjal Wildlife Breeding Centre of Sundarbans East zone, said a crocodile named ‘Pilpil’ laid 38 eggs and the eggs were kept in the digital incubator for hatching - and all 38 hatched baby crocs.
It takes 82 days for hatching the croc babies and the authorities concerned of the wildlife center will look after these for 6-7 years and then release them to the rivers and canals of the Sundarbans.
Read: Over 182 Barguna fishermen go missing in stormy Bay: Coast Guard
So far, they have been able to release 206 crocodiles in rivers and canals of the Sundarbans.
Sources said two crocodiles named ‘Juliet’ and ‘Pilpil’ laid 168 eggs from 2017 to 2019 but all failed to hatch.
In 2020, four hatchlings were found in September.
According to the Forest Department, the government built the Karamjal Wildlife Breeding Centre in 2000 with five crocodiles from the Sundarbans.
3 killed in Barishal road crash
Three people were killed and several injured as a bus hit a trolley on Dhaka-Kuakata highway in Bakerganj upazila of Barishal on Monday, said police.
The deceased were identified as trolley driver Zohirul Talukdar, 25, his helpers-Rakib, 23, and Bayezid, 25.
The accident occurred around 10:30 am when the Barishal-bound bus of ‘Humayra Paribhahan’ crashed into the trolley on the highway and plunged into a roadside ditch, said Abul Kashem, leader of Bakerganj Fire Station.
Read:Roads turning more perilous: 10 people killed in Barishal in 24 hours
The accident left the trolley driver dead on spot as the vehicle overturned after being hit by the bus, he added.
The two injured were rushed to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College and Hospital where doctors declared the duo dead, said Alaudding Milon, officer-in-charge (OC) of Bakerganj police station.
Several passengers of the bus were injured and are undergoing treatment at a local hospital, he added.
Police seized the vehicles but the bus driver managed to flee the scene, the OC added.
Khulna fuel traders, tank-lorry owners go on strike
Fuel traders and tank-lorry owners went on a 12-hour strike on Monday morning in 15 districts of Khulna division to press home their three-point demand, including hike in commission on fuel sale and readjustment of transport fare following the latest hike in fuel prices.
The strike started at 6 am and will continue till 6 pm, said Sheikh Murad Hossain, general secretary of Khulna Divisional Committee of Bangladesh Fuel Distributors Association.
Bangladesh Petroleum Dealers, Distributors, Agents and Petrol Pump Owners Association have stopped collection of fuel from Padma, Meghna and Jamuna depots.
Read: Fuel price hike: Tank-lorry owners call off strike in Khulna
Murad Hossain said this strike is also being observed by stopping fuel collection from the depots of Rajshahi and Rangpur divisions.
However, fuel sale from petrol pumps is continuing, he added.
The government hiked the prices of fuel by a big margin on August 5.
Diesel prices were increased by Tk 34 to Tk 114 per litre, octane by Tk 46 to Tk 135 per litre and petrol by Tk 44 to Tk 130 a litre. The government also recently embarked on rationing of power to tackle the ongoing energy crisis in the country.
Tea workers call off strike, return to work with previous wage of Tk 120
Tea garden workers on Monday returned to work with the previous wage of Tk 120 withdrawing their strike for raising wage to Tk 300 upon assurance from the Prime Minister that their wage will be re-fixed after a virtual meeting with her.
This decision was taken at a meeting of the tea workers’ leaders with the Moulvibazar Deputy Commissioner Mir Nahid Ahsan at his office on Sunday night.
Paresh Kalindi, financial affairs secretary of Tea Workers Union, said, "In honour of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, we will join the work with the previous wage. The Prime Minister will talk to us through a video conference very soon to finalise the new wage.”
All financial benefits including wages of 10 days ( during the strike period) will be provided by the owners, he added.
During Sunday’s meeting, PM Hasina also talked to the tea workers through a video conference.
The Tea Workers leaders will apply to the DC for a meeting with the Prime Minister through video conferencing before the upcoming Durga Puja.
Read: Tea workers return to strike for Tk 300 wage; block Dhaka-Sylhet highway
Youth stabbed to death in Tongi
A 30-year-old man was stabbed to death and another one injured in an attack by rivals in Auchpara area of Gazipur's Tongi Sunday night.
The deceased was identified as Kausar Ahmed Sumon alias Tanon, a resident of Tonger Deora area of Gazipur.
Locals said some miscreants stabbed Sumon and Tuhin indiscriminately near Merit School in Auchpara area of Tongi due to old enmity, leaving them critically injured.
Read: Madaripur toddler drowns in pond
They were rushed to Shaheed Ahsanullah Master General Hospital where doctors declared Sumon dead upon his arrival.
Later, Tuhin was shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in critical condition.
Mohammad Iltutmish, deputy commissioner of Gazipur Metropolitan Police, said that he might have been killed over previous enmity.
"We are investigating the murder,” he said, adding that efforts are on to nab the culprits.
Cox’s Bazar trawler capsize: 2 more bodies recovered
A Coast Guard team on Sunday fished out the bodies of two more fishermen from the Bay of Bengal, two days after a fishing trawler carrying 19 fishermen capsized amid inclement weather.
The deceased were identified as Anwar Hossain and Nurul Islam.
Local fishermen spotted the bodies at Najirartek Channel of the Bay in the afternoon and informed the coast guard, said Selim Uddin, officer-in-charge (OC) of Cox’s Bazar Sadar police station.
So far, seven bodies have been recovered from the Bay, he added.
On Sunday morning, coast guard members recovered the bodies of three fishermen from Maheshkhali Sonadia channel.
They were Hossain Ahmad, Azizul Haque and Mohammad Absar, residents of Sadar upazila of Cox’s Bazar.
Madaripur toddler drowns in pond
A three-year-old drowned after falling into a pond in Madaripur's Kalkini upazila Sunday, police said.
The deceased was identified as Habiba, daughter of expatriate Iqbal Hossain of Purbo Shikarmangal village.
Read: Two children drown in Ctg pond
As the family members were not around, she went near the pond, fell into it, and drowned, Md Shamim Hossain, officer-in-charge of Kalkini Police Station.
"Habiba's family members started looking for her as she was not seen anywhere. At one stage, her body was found floating on the pond near her house," Shamim said.