District
Malaria grips Jurachari, 388 cases in two months, say docs
Malaria has gripped an inaccessible hilly upazila of Rangamati district.
Jurachari upazila has seen as many as 388 cases of the vector-borne disease in the past two months, a sudden spurt that has put the local health authorities on high alert.
Caused by Plasmodium parasites, malaria affects over 200 million people worldwide annually. This is according to the World Health Organization.
According to the Jurachari upazila health complex authorities, some 265 people were infected with malaria in July. The figure was 123 in June.
Most of the victims were from the inaccessible Moidang and Dumdumya union parishads.
Read: Geoengineering can put 1 billion people back at risk of Malaria: Icddr’b study
Ward members of Dumdumya union, Laxmi Lal Chakma and Kala Cokha Tanchainga, told UNB, “Every week, at least 7-8 cases of malaria are reported from here."
According to doctors, June and July usually see a spurt in malaria cases in the hilly region. "The situation may prevail till October,” said Dr Ananya Chakma, upazila health and family planning officer.
Samur Pangkhoa, headman of Dumdmya mouza, said, “In the last two years, malaria cases were low. However, this year, we are witnessing a rise in the cases."
Amar Shanti Chakma of Bagakhali Community Clinic, also said that the number of malaria cases are on the rise.
However, Dr Ananya allayed fears. "Even if malaria cases are increasing, there is no need to panic. We have adequate stock of medicines at the upazila health complex and community clinics."
First coal shipment for Rampal power plant arrives from Indonesia
The first shipment of fuel for the coal-powered Rampal Power Plant in Bagerhat has arrived from Indonesia, paving the way for electricity production from October, officials said on Friday.
"Bangladesh flag-bearer 'MV Akij Heritage' docked at Chittagong port on July 31, carrying 54,650 metric tonnes (MT) of coal imported from Indonesia," said Anwarul Azim, deputy general manager of Rampal Power Plant.
From the port, 18,650 metric tonnes were ferried to the terminal of the power plant on Thursday afternoon on three lighter vessels, he said.
“From now on, coal will be supplied to the plant on a regular basis as it will be operated experimentally from August to September. After that, Rampal Power Plant will go into official power production from October," said DGM Anwarul.
Read: Power flow set up from Payra plant to Rampal sub-station
Md Khanadakar Riazul Haque, manager of Toggy Shipping that owns 'MV Akij Heritage', said, "The ship sailed from Indonesia’s Tanjung port on July 20 and after unloading 18,650 MT of coal at Chittagong port, it headed for Mongla port with the remaining 36,000 MT. It will reach Harbouria-11 buoy of Mongla port by Friday evening."
According to Rampal Power Plant authorities, Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited (BHEL), a Indian state-owned company, is responsible for the construction of the main infrastructure of the plant.
Work on the project began in 2010 with acquisition of land, and official construction started in 2012.
Being built at an estimated cost of Tk 16 thousand crore, the plant aims to produce a total of 1,320 MW of electricity in its two units (660 megawatts in each).
15 injured as rival groups clash in Magura
At least 15 people have been injured in a clash between two rival groups in Baharbag village of Magura Sadar upazila, police said on Friday.
Twelve of the injured have been identified as former union parishad chairman Liakat Munshi, Salim Sardar, Tuhin, Badsha Mia, Anwar Hossain, Kajol, Imran, Mizan, Harun, Indris, Rauf, and Nayeb.
Also read: Bhola BNP-Cops clash: Injured JCD leader dies in Dhaka
According to the police, the clash on Thursday was the fallout of a long-standing rivalry between the two groups -- one led by Saimuddin Chunnu and another by Saddam of Baharbag village.
On Thursday morning, supporters of Chunnu allegedly attacked Aminur, a follower of Saddam. As he news spread, supporters of Saddam attacked Chunnu's men to take revenge, leaving a total of 15 people from both sides wounded.
Also read: Teen hacked to death after clash over football game in Magura
The injured were admitted to Magura District Hospital. Two of them were later shifted to Faridpur hospital for better treatment, police said.
"The condition of one of the injured is critical," said Nasir Uddin, officer-in-charge of Magura Police Station. "A case has been filed in this connection."
36 cops sued over killing of Bhola Swechchasebak Dal leader
Thirty-six policemen including the officer-in-charge of Bhola model police station were sued over the death of Swechchasebak Dal activist Abdur Rahim in ‘police firing’ during a clash between BNP activist and police.
The case was filed at Senior Judicial Magistrate Ali Haider’s court on Thursday following a complaint of Abdur Rahim’s wife Khadiza Begum.
Bhola Model Police station OC Arman Haque was made the main accused in the case, said the plaintiff’s lawyer Amirul Islam Baset.
Also read: BNP withdraws daylong general strike after 6 hrs in Bhola
According to the complaint, on July 31, Abdur Rahim was shot dead by OC Arman Hossain as a clash broke out between police and BNP activists during a demonstration of the party and its likeminded political groups against the ongoing load shedding and mismanagement in the power sector.
The case was filed under section 302 and 304 of the Penal Code, he said.
However, OC Arman Hossain told UNB he was not yet informed of any case filed against him in this regard.
Also read: 1 killed, 30 hurt as BNP, police clash in Bhola
“I was performing my duty on that day and was not intending to hurt anyone. The rally was illegal. BNP activists rather attacked police, opened fire on them and injured our members,” he said.
On Sunday, as part of BNP’s countrywide demonstration programme the leaders and activists of the party gathered in front of their district party office in Bhola.
At one stage, police obstructed them when they tried to stage demonstrations at Kalinath Roy Bazar around 11.30am, triggering a clash.
Later, police fired bullets and lobbed teargas shells that left local Swechchasebak Dal leader Abdur Rahim dead and some other leaders and activists of the party injured including Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) district unit president Noor-e-Alam.
Noor-e-Alam succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday at a hospital in Dhaka.
On Thursday, BNP observed a 6-hour general strike in Bhola protesting the killing of the JCD leader.
Hundreds of Jellyfish carcasses wash ashore on Cox’s Bazar beach
More than a hundred carcasses of Jellyfish were reported to be washed ashore at different points of Cox’s Bazar beach on Thursday morning.
These dead jellyfish have been washed ashore with the tidal water since this morning at several points along the 50 km long area of the beach including Labani, Sugandha, Simon Beach and Darya Nagar points up to Himchari.
Around 100 small and large jellyfish carcasses were found stuck in the sand at various points of the beach.
But no one could tell the reasons behind this huge number of deaths of jellyfish.
Cox's Bazar District Fisheries Officer Badruzzaman said this is not the season for this fish to die.
These jellyfish might have come close to the shore and got caught in the fishermen's nets. Later, the carcasses started washing up on the beach as the fishers threw those away, he added.
Read: Whale carcass washes ashore on Cox’s Bazar beach
However, Bangladesh Marine Research Institute Senior Officer Abu Syed Md Sharif said Jellyfish usually die in winter and float in the sea.
“For several days we have examined the jellyfish carcasses floating in the sea. These jellyfish are getting caught in the fishing net and dying as fishing in the Bay started. There is nothing to worry,” he said.
School teacher drowns while crossing river in Thakurgaon
Fire service members recovered the body of a 45-year old primary school teacher on Thursday from the Tangon River in Thakurgaon sadar upazila after he went missing while crossing the river by swimming.
The deceased was identified as Tailakkha Barman, assistant teacher of South Bathina Islam Para Government Primary School.
His body was recovered around 1:30 pm from near Kazirghat area, eight kilometers off the spot where he drowned on Wednesday, said Md Sarwar Hossain, warehouse inspector of Thakurgaon fire service and civil defence.
A diving team from Rangpur recovered his body, he said.
Read: 2 children drown in Naogaon pond
On Wednesday, Tailakkha Barman drowned in the river while swimming to return home after the school.
“He used to cross the river by a small boat twice everyday to reach the school and return. On Wednesday as the boat was not available he decided to swim,” said Abu Bakkar Siddiki, president of the school committee.
Assault on Faridpur journo: Main accused held
Rab members have detained Japan Mollah, main accused in a case over assaulting a journalist in Faridpur, from a house in the capital’s Jatrabari area Wednesday evening.
Japan is the younger brother of Saifur Rahman Saifar, mayor of Alfadanga municipality in Faridpur.
According to witnesses, Mujahidul Islam Naim, staff correspondent of Dhaka Times and organizing secretary of Faridpur Press Club, was attacked by Japan and some other miscreants on Monday over a trifling matter.
The attackers beat him up mercilessly with rod, cricket stumps and locally-made weapon, leaving him critically injured.
Read: Sunamganj journalist assault: 1 more held
He was first admitted to Alfadanga Upazila Health Complex and shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) for better treatment.
A case was filed with Alfadanga Police Station in this regard on Tuesday. Police detained a suspect named Parul Begum who was later produced before the court and sent to jail.
Narayanganj 7-murder: Nur Hossain gets life term in arms case
A Narayanganj court on Thursday sentenced Nur Hossain, death row convict in Narayanganj seven-murder case, to life imprisonment in an arms case.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Sabina Yasmin pronounced the judgment in presence of Nur, a former Narayanganj city councillor, said state counsel additional public prosecutor Md Salahuddin Sweet.
On May 15, 2014, law enforcers conducted drive at Nur’s house in Shimrail area of Siddhirganj upazila and seized a foreign revolver, eight rounds of bullet and eight shotgun shells. Later, a case was filed at Siddhirganj police station under the Arms Act in this regard.
Read: N’ganj 7 murders: Full text of HC verdict likely Sunday
The court sentenced Nur Hossain to life term rigorous imprisonment under two sections of the act.
On August 22, 2017, the High Court upheld the death sentence of 15 convicts, including Nur and three Rapid Action Battalion officials, and commuted the penalty of 11 others to life term jail in two cases filed over the seven-murder.
On April 27, 2014, Narayanganj City Corporation panel mayor Nazrul Islam, his three associates and driver were abducted from Fatullah.
Also, senior lawyer at the District Judge’s Court Chandan Kumar Sarkar and his driver were abducted on their way to the capital.
Three days after the incident, the bodies of six of them, including Nazrul and Chandan, were recovered from the River Shitalakhya.
The following day, the body of Nazrul’s car driver Jahangir was recovered from the river.
Later, Selina Islam Beauty, the widow of Nazrul, filed a case against six people while Chandan’s son-in-law filed the other case.
Tangail bus horror: Suspected robber remanded
A court here on Thursday placed one of the seven armed robbers who allegedly hijacked a Chattogram-bound bus in Tangail, looted commuters and raped a young woman, on a five-day police remand.
Senior Judicial Magistrate Badal Kumar Chanda passed the order after police sought a seven-day remand to interrogate gang member Raza Mia, said court inxpector Tanbir Ahmed.
Meanwhile ,Senior Judicial Majistrate Rumi Khatun recorded statement of the rape survivor under section 22 of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act Thursday evening.
“In primary medical test of the girl evidence of rape was found," said Assistant Professor Dr Rehana Parvin, head of the three-member medical board formed by Tangail Sheikh Hasina Medical College Hospital in this regard.
Raza Mia, 32, was arrested from the Deula area of Tangail district town Thursday morning, said police.
During interrogation, Raza told cops that he was the one who drove the bus while others held the passengers and staff hostage at gunpoint, said Sarkar Md Kaisar, superintendent of Tangail Police.
Read: Robbers loot commuters & rape woman on Ctg-bound bus
The spine-chilling crime occurred in the Raktipara area of Tangail's Madhupur upazila, off the Dhaka-Tangail Highway, in the early hours of Wednesday when the bus was on its way to Chattogram from Kushtia.
Raza is a driver of ‘Jhatika Service’ bus in Tangail and lived in a rented house in Tangail new bus terminal area.
Posing as passengers, the seven boarded the bus in two groups in a span of 10 minutes around 11pm on Tuesday after it resumed its onward journey following a stopover at a hotel in Sirajganj district.
Twenty-four people, including 22 passengers and two staffers, were on board the bus of ‘Eagle Paribahan’ at the time.
Around 12am on Wednesday, when the bus took the busy Dhaka-Tangail Highway in the Natiapara area, the seven robbers whiffed out guns, hijacked the vehicle, and drove it towards Madhupur upazila.
On a desolate stretch, the armed gang robbed the twenty-four people, including 22 passengers of cash, jewellery and mobile phones.
They then blindfolded the passengers and raped the woman commuter on board.
The passengers' ordeal continued for over three hours till the seven criminals forced them to get off the bus and drove the heavy vehicle towards Raktipara's Jam-e-Mosque, where they abandoned it and fled with the booty, police said.
An FIR has been lodged in connection with the robbery and rape.
BNP withdraws daylong general strike after 6 hrs in Bhola
BNP has shortened their dawn-to-dusk general strike in Bhola by six hours which they called in protest against the death of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) district unit president Noor-e-Alam in a clash between police and supporters of the main opposition party.
The party said it has taken the decision considering peoples’ sufferings.
BNP senior leader Gayeshwar Chandra Roy made the announcement at a press briefing at district party office Thursday noon.
Gayeshwar alleged, “We have not seen any punitive measures or any action against police till date unless instruction comes from the upper level of the.”
He also demanded compensation for the families of those killed and the injured victims in the clash as well as action against police.
After the press conference, the wife and children of slain Swechchasebak Dal leader Abdur Rahim were provided inancial assistance by BNP.
Following the announcement, shops opened and traffic movement became normal on the district roads.
Till 12pm today, the protesting BNP men staged demonstrations and brought out processions in different parts of the district in a peaceful manner, said BNP’s Bhola unit joint general secretary Humayun Kabir Sopan.
Read: JCD leader’s death: BNP observes day-long strike in Bhola
Due to the hartal, most shops and business establishments on Mahajanotti Sadar Road and the BNP office area remained shut in the morning.
Only a few vehicles were seen plying on the roads in the district. However, long-haul buses were seen plying on the Bhola-Charfashion route.
Besides, law enforcers were deployed at some major places of the district town to avoid any untoward situation.
Noor-e-Alam sustained bullet wounds during the clash with the police on Sunday.
Humayun said that Noor-e- Alam was taken to Comfort Hospital in the capital on the same day, where he succumbed to his injuries around 3.15pm on Wednesday. He had been on life support at the hospital.
As part of BNP’s countrywide demonstration programme protesting the ongoing load shedding and mismanagement in the power sector, the leaders and activists of the party gathered in front of their district party office in Bhola on Sunday.
At one stage, police obstructed them when they tried to stage demonstrations at Kalinath Roy Bazar around 11.30am, triggering a clash.
Later, police fired bullets and lobbed teargas shells that left local Swechchasebak Dal leader Abdur Rahim dead and some other leaders and activists of the party injured.