United News of Bangladesh

Three people including a woman and her son died allegedly after inhaling toxic gas inside a septic tank at Dhap Udoypur village in Mithapukur upazila of Rangpur district on Thursday. The deceased were identified as Delwara Begum, 55, Ida Mia, 35, son of Delwara and Iblul Mia, 35, son of Tobarak Hossain of Dhap Udoypur village in Shalti Gopalpur union. Rohingya man's throat-slit body recovered from Ukhiya camp Harun-or-Rashid, chairman of Shalti Gopalpur union, said a septic tank was being extended near the house of Delwara Begum in the morning. At one stage, she fell inside it while trying to pick up bottle gourd through a ladder. Later, Ida Mia also got into the septic tank to save her mother and died. Bangladeshi injured in BSF firing along Benapole border To save both, Iblul also climbed down the septic tank and died there. On information, a firefighting unit rushed to the spot and recovered the three bodies, said Mashiur Rahman, warehouse inspector of Mithapukur Fire Service.

A five-km long tailback has been created on Dhaka-Chittagong highway as the students of Cumilla University put up barricades on the highway, demanding the cancellation of quota system in government jobs. Many vehicles were seen stranded till 4 pm on Thursday on the both sides of the highway, inflicting woes to the commuters. Rashed Ibne Nur, a student of the university’s Bangla department, said the quota system need to be abolished and by keeping 30% quota for freedom fighters the government is undermining the meritorious students. Tofazzal Hossain, a bus driver, said he started his journey from Kotbari in Cumilla to go to Dhaka but he failed to move a single inch due to the protests. Kamran Hossain, additional superintendent of Cumilla Police, said law enforcers including DB police were deployed to tackle the situation. UNB’s Bangladesh Agriculture University (BAU) correspondent reports: the students of the university blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh railway for two hours for the second consecutive day today protesting the High Court order over the reinstatement of quota system in government jobs. Rail communication between Dhaka and Mymensingh remained suspended till 4 pm due to the blockade programme. The students of BAU blocked the railway at Jabbarer intersection after halting the Jamalpur-bound ‘Jamalpur Express’ train from Dhaka around 1:15 pm. They also brought out a protest procession on the campus around 12:30 pm. Quota protest: Students block Dhaka’s Shahbagh intersection for 3rd day Iran Mia, a student of Faculty of Animal Husbandry, said the ovement will continue until the restoration of 2018 circular abolishing quota. UNB Rajshahi Correspondent reports: students of Rajshahi University (RU) put up barricade on Dhaka-Rajshahi highway around 10:30 am, protesting the High Court order over the reinstatement of quota system. The students also brought out a procession from Paris Road on the campus and gathered at the main gate of the university amid rain. They also chanted different slogans protesting the quota and placed four-point demands including abolition of quota system. Vehicular movement on the highway remained suspended for three hours till 1:30 pm following the protest. BNP has infiltrated student and teacher movements: Hasan Mahmud Besides, students blocked Dhaka’s Shahbagh intersection around 11:45 am on Thursday for the third consecutive day protesting the High Court’s decision to reinstate the quota system in government jobs.  

The local administration on Thursday took charge of 25 acres of property – valued at Tk 30 crore – in Bandarban district, belonging to former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed. The operation, led by Deputy Commissioner Shah Mozahid Uddin and officials from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), involved seizing control of Benazir’s garden house, cattle farm, and fish farm in the morning. Local sources reported that Benazir accumulated 50 acres of land in Sualak union and 100 acres in Lama upazila. After taking charge, the team installed a signboard and secured the garden house under lock and key. The local administration will deposit any income generated from these properties into the government treasury. Court orders confiscation of more assets of ex-IGP Benazir A Dhaka court on June 12 ordered the confiscation of additional properties in the names of Benazir Ahmed and his family members. These assets include 24 kathas of land in Narayanganj's Rupganj, three kathas in Uttara, 25 acres in Bandarban, two flats in Badda, six flats in Adabar in his wife's name, and a six-story building in Gulshan. Court appoints caretakers to look after properties of ex-IGP Benazir, his family members The court also ordered the freezing of shares in private entities Citizen Television and Tigerafit Apparels Ltd. On May 26, the court mandated the attachment of properties including four flats in Dhaka purchased under 119 deeds, four companies, and partial ownership in 15 other companies. Additionally, four BO accounts were frozen. On May 23, the same court froze 33 bank accounts and attached properties listed under 83 deeds belonging to Benazir and his family.   The investigations into Benazir Ahmed's wealth began following a report published on March 31 by a daily titled, “Aladin’s lamp at the house of Benazir.” Similar reports by other media outlets on April 1 and 2 fuelled widespread discussions about the significant wealth amassed by Benazir Ahmed during his police career.        

A Bangladeshi youth was shot and wounded by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) along the Thakurpur border in Damurhuda upazila of  the district early Thursday.   The injured is Azmul Hossain,29,  son of Md. Abbas Ali of Thakurpur village in Damurhuda Upazila. According to locals, when Azmul Hossain along with 5-6 other Bangladeshis was attempting to cross the border at around 5 am on Thursday, members of 82-BSF's Maluapara camp opened fire on them. Indian woman due to meet her family in Bangladesh shot dead by BSF near Meherpur border Azmul Hossain suffered bullet wound on of his legs while his other accomplices fled. Later, BSF members rescued Azmul and admitted him to Shaktinagar District Hospital in India where he is undergoing treatment. Lt. Colonel Saeed Mohammad Zahidur Rahman, commanding officer of BGB’s Chuadanga-6 Battalion, confirmed the incident.

Flood situation deteriorated  in Kurigram due to swelling of the Brahmaputra and the Dharla rivers amid incessant rainfall and onrush of upstream water, rendering  50,000 people maroonded. Local public representatives said families are struggling to cook and manage daily activities amidst worsening flood. Women, children, and people with disabilities are passing difficult days being surrounded by floodwater. Abdul Gafur, chairman of Jatrapur union in Kurigram Sadar, said the homes of 1,500 people in his union have been submerged, leaving  8,000 people stranded. Madhumati River Erosion in Narail leaves 100 families homeless Abdul Hamid Sheikh, a member of Ward No. 6 of Begumganj Union, claimed that around 150 houses in his ward went under floodwater, affecting about 800 families in the union. Approximately 80 families have taken refuge in a shelter in Fakir Char but are facing issues with clean water and sanitation. Ulipur Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Ataur Rahman acknowledged the situation. Water Development Board Sub-Divisional Engineer Rafsan Jani said that the Brahmaputra River is flowing 63cm above the danger level at Chilmari River Port point, while the Dharla River is flowing 2cm above the danger level at Kurigram Bridge point. Kurigram Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Saidul Arif said that 10 kg of rice and other essentials have been distributed among 1,200 families each in the affected areas in Kurigram.

Vehicular movement on the Dhaka-Barishal highway has been suspended since this noon as Barishal University students put up barricades, demanding cancellation of the freedom fighter quota system in government jobs. Hundreds of vehicles were stranded on both sides of the highway, causing immense suffering for commuters. Quota protest: Students block Dhaka’s Shahbagh intersection for 3rd day Abdur Rahman Mukul, officer-in-charge of Barishal Port Police Station, reported that students began protesting near the university's main gate around 12:30 pm. They demanded cancellation of all quotas in government jobs, except for those designated for people with disabilities and individuals from underdeveloped districts. Freedom fighter quota in govt jobs: SC upholds HC ruling During the blockade, students voiced their concerns, declaring that no discrimination will be allowed through the quota system. They emphasized the need for measures to ensure that people with disabilities and those from underdeveloped districts can avail the quota opportunity once, to prevent general students from being deprived of their desired jobs.  

The erosion of the Madhumati River has turned serious at Ramkantapur village in Lohagara upazila of the southwestern district leaving up to a hundred families homeless, according to local public representatives. Over the weeks the river swalled many homesteads, acres of arable lands, trees, madrasas, mosques and electricity poles, said the victims and local leaders. Hundreds of families in Ramkantapur village shifted their houses before the erosion took it all. They are now living under the sky. Locals said that this is not the first time they have faced such devastation. Last year, the Water Development Board attempted to mitigate the erosion by dumping geo-bags at the Shirabar point of the Madhumati River, but it has disappeared in the erosion this time.   Residents of Chattogram grappling with waterlogging in light of heavy showers Saddam, Osman Munshi and some other residents of Ramkantapur village narrated their plight to the UNB correspondent. "Our homesteads had vanished into the river multiple times due to the erosion of the Madhumati River," said Saddam. "We are now destitutea," he said. The uncertainty and panic are palpable as the river continues to erode the land, leaving residents in a constant state of anxiety about when their homes might be next. Tota Mia, another resident, recounted the loss of five bighas of land to the river. "I've been affected three times already. This time, I'm on the verge of a breakdown. I don't know what's going to happen." Local UP member Ashiqul Alam said homesteads, arable lands, madrasas and mosques have been affected by the erosion of the Madhumati River. If this continues, the entire area will disappear into the river. Third round of flood batters life in Sylhet Ashiqul Alam has called for the intervention of Jatiya Sangsad Whip Mashrafe Bin Mortaza to address the situation urgently. Mashrafee is the MP from this constituency. Rakibul Hasan, executive engineer of Narail Water Development Board, said, "There is no allocation for erosion prevention in Ramkantapur village of Lohagara upazila. Because of this, we cannot do anything." However, if funds come, work will be done to prevent erosion in the area, he added.

A Chattogram court on Wednesday sentenced four individuals to death and another to life in prison for killing a quack, a village doctor with dubious credentials, in Raozan upazila of Chattogram around eight years back. Chattogram Third Additional District and Session Judge Court Judge HM Shafiqul Islam also acquitted one person in the case, finding the allegations brought against him to be false, according to the court’s Public Prosecutor Advocate Sheikh Iftekhar Saimul Chowdhury. The death-row convicts are Mithu Chowdhury, Suman Chowdhury, Md Delwar Hossain and Ershad Hossain, all hailing from Chikdair village under the upazila. The lifer is Sudip Chowdhury, of the same village, who was also fined Tk 10,000. According to the case statement, the accused including acquitted Mohammad Illias alias Ilu attacked quack Sulal Chowdhury while he was on his way home by a rickshaw in Chikdair village, on the evening of June 25, 2016 and dumped his corpse in a water body. The body was found around 10pm that same night. Three days into the murder, the victim’s son lodged a murder case accusing one named and other unnamed persons of the murder. After completing the legal procedures, the court delivered its judgment today in the presence of one death-row convict and the lifer. The other three convicted killers remain absconding. The court issued an arrest warrant for the absconding convicts in this connection.

Police recovered the body of a Rohingya man with his throat slit from inside the Ukhiya refugee camp in Cox’s Bazar on Wednesday. The deceased was identified as Nur Mohammad, 31, son of Oli Ahmed of Block D, in Rohingya Camp No. 4. The incident took place in a hilly area that the sprawling camp stretches to in the early hours of Wednesday. Md Shamim Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Ukhiya police station, said the body was recovered and sent to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital for an  autopsy. The reason behind the murder could not be ascertained immediately, although a number of camp residents pointed to the hand of the banned militant group ARSA. “Efforts are on to identify those involved in the murder,” added the OC.

A Kishoreganj court on Wednesday handed out four death sentences to four men convicted over the murder of an autorickshaw driver in 2020. The four men identified as Md Kajal, 34, son of Abu Taher Mia of Bashgari village, Jewel Mia, 25, son of Khoka Mia of Bhati Krishnagar village, Md Rabbani, 26, son of Abu Mia and Liton Mia, 26, son of Latif Mia of Sanhura village, all located within Bhairab upazila, were found guilty of the murder of Sohel Khandaker, who was from a different district of Kishoreganj, in Bhairab in 2020. Kishoreganj Acting District and Session Judge Jannatul Ferdous Ibne Haque handed down the sentences and fined each of them Tk 2 lakh. According to the prosecution, Sohel Khandaker, an auto-rickshaw driver of Kuliarchar upazila in Kishoreganj district was found dead on Bhairab-Kishoreganj regional highway at Kalikaprasad in Bhairab upazila on September 22, 2020. A case was filed with Bhairab Police Station three days later. Police arrested the convicts after tracking the IMEI number of the victim's missing mobile phone. Once they found the phone, the information stored in it led them to the perpetrators. They later made confessional statements before the court. On November 22, 2021, police submitted chargesheet against them.