United News of Bangladesh

Unidentified men wearing masks attacked and vandalised the houses of two BNP leaders in Barishal on Wednesday night. The incident occurred around 8 pm, when 30-40 assailants, wearing helmets and monkey hats, carried out the attack on the homes of Zahirul Islam Litu, joint convener of the metropolitan unit BNP, and Syed Akbar, former joint convener. No injuries were reported, said Nazmul Nishat, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kawnia Police Station. Tension over building fence at C’nawabganj border: BGB, BSF hold flag meeting Syed Akbar described how the attackers, on motorcycles, broke the windows of his house using machetes (ramda) and hockey sticks before fleeing the scene. "The police have been informed, and we will decide on legal action after discussions," Akbar added. Eyewitness Rubel Hossain said that a group of men, wearing helmets and monkey hats, attacked the house of Zahirul Islam Litu on the main road in Kawnia. They entered the premises, vandalised two motorcycles, and damaged property inside the house. Other attackers arrived on three-wheelers and joined in, shouting insults at BNP leader Litu. Litu, who was not at home at the time, said his wife and two children were left terrified by the attack. "Legal action will be taken," he added. Swechhasebak Dal leader expelled for assaulting former OC in Ctg In response to the attack, several local BNP leaders, including former member secretary of Barisal metropolitan BNP Mir Jahidul Kabir, KM Shahidullah, president of the Nationalist Lawyers Forum Mohsin Montu, and others, rushed to the scene to support the victims. Mir Jahidul Kabir, former member secretary of metropolitan BNP, condemned the attack, describing it as cowardly, and said it was still unclear who was responsible. "If any party members are found involved, we will file a complaint with the central command for appropriate action. For now, both leaders will lodge a complaint with the police station," he said. RMSTU students block road demanding appointment of new VC OC Nazmul Nishat said that police visited the scene following the report but the victims could not identify the attackers. He said that action would be taken if a formal complaint was received.  

A 54-year-old farmer was beaten to death, reportedly after attempting to stop a group of youths from consuming marijuana in Puthia village of Shahjadpur upazila in Sirajganj on Tuesday night. The victim, identified as Azim Uddin Sarkar, was returning home when he encountered a group of youths smoking marijuana in front of his house. According to Shahjadpur Police Station's Officer-in-Charge (OC) Aslam Ali, when he tried to intervene and stop them, the youths became enraged and attacked him. They beat him severely before fleeing the scene. Locals rushed to his aid and the farmer was quickly taken to a nearby hospital. However, he succumbed to his injuries on the way. An angry crowd, which had gathered at the scene, recovered a motorcycle left behind by the attackers and informed the police. Upon receiving the report, officers from Shahjadpur Police Station arrived, recovered the body and seized the motorcycle. Student arrested in Feni over killing domestic help The body was later sent to Sirajganj Shaheed M Mansur Ali Medical College Hospital morgue for an autopsy. A case has been filed and authorities are continuing their investigation into the incident, the OC added.

Police have arrested a 20-year-old youth for the murder of a 65-year-old housekeeper in the Faleshwar area of Feni. At a press conference on Wednesday, Feni PBI Superintendent of Police (SP)Joyita Shilpi said the accused , Abir Al Rafi, was arrested  on Tuesday from the Hathazari area of Chattogram after conducting operations in different areas of Chattogram and Noakhali. Shilpi said that Rafi had gambled away the money his father had given him for purchasing a laptop. Woman found dead in Sylhet, family claims murder Unable to pay for his addiction, Rafi resorted to theft and robbery. On December 26, he went to steal from the house of Golam Kibria Bakul, brother of former municipal councilor Golam Faruk, in Faleshwar, where Masuda Begum saw him. When she attempted to stop him, Rafi stabbed her multiple times with a sharp knife and fled the scene immediately after the attack. Following the filing of a murder case by the victim's son, Md Zafar, on December 27, the PBI initiated an investigation, reviewing CCTV footage and conducting operations across Noakhali and Chittagong. During questioning, Rafi confessed to his involvement in the murder. Police recovered the blood-stained knife used in the killing along with the black shirt he wore during the attack.

A 25-year-old man was killed in a road accident at Dhopakandi in Sirajganj on Wednesday evening. The victim, identified as Sumon Mia, was the son of Akshed Ali and a resident of Gazipur district. Hatikumrul Highway Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abdur Rouf said that Sumon Mia was going to Bogra on a motorcycle and died on the spot in a head-on collision with a bus coming from the opposite direction. Police went to the spot and recovered his body and brought it to the police station. A case has been filed in this regard at the concerned police station, the OC added.

Amid tensions between the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the Border Security Force (BSF) of India over the construction of a barbed wire fence by BSF along the Chapainawabganj border a flag meeting was held on Wednesday between the two sides. Lt Col Golam Kibria, Commander of 59 BGB Battalion, said that the BSF started digging soil to build the fence near border pillar 177/2 S in Shibganj upazila two days back. Tension erupts between BGB and BSF over fence construction at Chouka Border As the BGB strongly protested the BSF halted their work twice in response. On Wednesday morning, when the BSF resumed their work, the BGB protested again, leading to the flag meeting. Both sides agreed that no further construction would take place without an agreement between the BGB and BSF headquarters. Lt Col Kibria reassured people  there that  was no cause for concern, as the BGB is guarding the border.

Meherpur, Jan 08 (UNB) – Two college students died in a road accident on the Meherpur-Kushtia regional highway in Gangni upazila of Meherpur on Wednesday. The accident happened when the motorcycle they were riding collided with a Rafraf Paribahan bus around 3:30 pm, said Gangni Police Station Officer-in-Charge Bani Israel. 6 killed in separate road accidents in Naogaon, Gazipur, Munshiganj The deceased were identified as Siam Hossain (18), son of Alek Hossain, a Saudi expatriate from Pirtala village and Abdullahel Baki (18), son of Sohrab Hossain alias Sentu, also a Saudi expatriate from the same village. Both were students of class XI at Kushtia Islamia College. Siam died on the spot and Baki was rushed to Kushtia General Hospital where doctors declared him brought dead, the OC said. Man killed in road accident in capital’s Bijoy Sharani Locals seized the bus and handed it over to the police. The deceased’s body will be taken to the 250-bed General Hospital in Meherpur, the OC added.

Ferry services on the Chilmari-Roumari route in Kurigram have been suspended for 17 days since December 23 due to navigability problems in the Brahmaputra River. Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), Chilmari, Manager Prafulla Chauhan said, “Services will resume only after clearance from the BIWTA. However, no specific timeline has been provided.” Abdul Matin, who driver of a stone-laden truck from Bhurungamari's Sonahat land port, expressed frustration, saying, "I didn't know the ferry service was closed. I've been stranded here with my truck for the last three days, with no clarity on when operations will resume." Another driver, Zahidul Islam from Lalmonirhat, said, "I arrived only to find the ferry service suspended. Now I’ll have to take a longer route, which will increase my expenses." Roads and Highways Department starts eviction drive in Natore BIWTA Deputy Assistant Engineer Md Kamruzzaman said the navigability issue extends across six kilometres from Baldamara to Roumari Ghat. "The channel that previously facilitated the ferry route was disrupted after the embankment collapsed. We are currently dredging about 4,000 feet of the river. Unfortunately, floodwaters have refilled the dredged areas," he added.

Eight brick kilns were fined Tk 12 lakh during a joint operation on Wednesday.Kushtia district administration and the Department of Environment conducted the joint operation across Kushtia Sadar and Kumarkhali upazilas, targeting kilns operating without proper authorisation or compliance with environmental regulations.Assistant Commissioner (Land) Rifatul Islam and Senior Chemist Habibul Basar from the Kushtia Department of Environment led the operation. Illegal brick kilns fined Tk 1.24 crore, 11 shut down, 15 ordered closedDuring the operation, officials not only collected fines but also issued strict instructions to halt all activities at the brick kilns. The largest fines were imposed on NSR Bricks (Tk 3 lakh), AFNR Bricks (Tk 2.5 lakh), Five Star (Tk 2 lakh), and HNR Bricks (Tk 2 lakh) in Kushtia Sadar’s Lakshmipur and Horinarayanpur areas.Meanwhile, in Kumarkhali upazila, four other brick kilns were fined Tk 2.5 lakh collectively. Kumarkhali Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) SM Mikail Islam said that the penalties were determined under the Brick Manufacturing Act, taking into account the scale of the kilns’ operations. HC orders immediate action to halt illegal brick kilns in CHTRifatul Islam said that stricter legal action would be taken if the kilns resume their activities in violation of the law.

Students block Dhaka-Aricha highway on Wednesday protesting the death of an official of Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre (BPATC) in a road accident in Savar. Rustam Rabbani, an assistant programmer of BPATC, was killed when a bus of ‘Welcome Paribahan’ knocked him down while he was crossing the road on Dhaka-Aricha highway in front of BPATC gate No 3 on Tuesday. Azizul Hakim, Estate officer of BPATC, filed a case with Savar Model Police Station on Wednesday. Teenager hit by bus dies in Sylhet; road blocked in protest Angered by the death, some 5,000 students of BPATC School and College blocked Dhaka-Aricha highway around 11 am demanding exemplary punishment of the bus driver and compensation for the family of the victim. Vehicular movement on the highway remained suspended for about an hour due to the protests.  Jewel Mia, Officer-in-Charge of Savar Model Police Station said the situation is normal now as the protesters left the road following assurance of justice.

The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) has started an eviction drive to remove illegal structures in Natore district. A team of RHD, led by Executive Magistrate Farhad Ahmed and Executive Engineer Quamrul Hasan, started the eviction drive on Wednesday from the main roads of Natore district town. Earlier, Roads and Highways Division issued a notice against 166 illegal occupants in Natore district as per the court order. Bangladesh Railway launches eviction drive in Malibagh to reclaim its encroached land All illegal establishments built across the roads, footpaths and lands will be demolished during the drive on both sides of the road, said Engineer Quamrul Islam.