District
Transport agencies declare indefinite strike at Benapole port from Wednesday
Five organisations including the Benapole Transport Agency Owners Association have announced an indefinite strike from Wednesday to press three demands, including withdrawal of an official of the Benapole port.
Azim Uddin Gazi, general secretary of Benapole Transport Agency Owners Association, made the announcement on Tuesday and said they will go for indefinite work abstention from Wednesday.
The demands include withdrawing Mamun Kabir Tarafdar, deputy director of Benapole Land port, to appoint a skilled driver after increasing the supply of much equipment needed for the port and keep the port area free from traffic congestion after expanding designated places and ensuring adequate sheds.
Meanwhile, five organisations staged a demonstration in front of the port.
Loading and unloading of goods at Benapole port remained suspended for Tuesday as the Federation of Bangladesh C&F Agent Association enforced a day-long strike at the port to press home their several-point demands.
Also Read: C&F agents’ strike: Unloading at 11 customs station including Benapole suspended on Tuesday
Trade between India and Bangladesh remained suspended following the strike, at least through the ports covered by the strike.
Azizur Rahman, the customs commissioner of Benapole Customs, said the customs house, port and check-post activities were operating as normal during the daylong strike.
Activities at a number of ports including Chattogram port, Dhaka customs, ICT, Mongla Port, Hili Port, Sonamasjid port and Bhomra port were however suspended as the strike was enforced countrywide.
When speaking, Azim said the loading and unloading activities of the port have been disrupted due to a crane forklift at the port.
The transport agency owners placed their demand for ensuring adequate supply of port equipment but the authorities concerned did not pay any heed to their demand.
Besides, Mamun is involved in many irregularities taking advantage of his post, he said.
Azim also threatened to continue their movement until their demands are met.
Driver, helper killed in Natore road accident
A pickup van driver and his assistant were killed in Lalpur upazila of Natore early Tuesday as a pickup van collided with a bus on Natore-Pabna highway.
The deceased were identified as driver Apon Mia, and his assistant Moazzem, both from Tangail district, said sub-inspector Firoz Ahsan, in-charge of Banpara highway police station.
Also read:3 BAEC officials among 6 killed in Savar road crash
The accident occurred around 2 am when the Tangail-bound pickup van collided with the Pabna- bound bus, leaving Apon and Moazzem severely injured.
They were taken to Boraigram Health Complex where doctors announced them dead in the morning, said the SI.
Also read: Out on joyride to visit Padma Bridge, 5 killed in Keraniganj road crash
Container depot fire under control after 60 hours: Army
The deadly fire at BM Container Depot at Sitakunda was brought under control on Tuesday morning after over 60 hours, said the Army.
"We have been able to control the flames and the area is out of danger now,’ commanding officer of the 18th Brigade of the 24th Infantry Division Lt Col Ariful Islam told journalists around 9 am outside the depot.
He said there is still smoke coming out in the depot mainly from containers full of clothes. Water used to douse the fire is causing the smoke, he said.
Also read: Probe to reveal whether sabotage behind Sitakunda depot fire
“An expert team of Bangladesh Armed Forces is examining the area for the presence of any more hazardous substances. After receiving a final report from them we will be assured that there is no possibility of further danger, the commander said.
Smart Group shuts hydrogen peroxide factory on public demand
A hydrogen peroxide factory run by Smart Group, the owner of BM container depot where a weekend fire killed 41 people, has been shut down following protests by local residents and leaders.
The factory, located at South Pahratali of Hathazari upazila in Chattogram, is run by Al-Razi Chemical Complex Ltd, a sister concern of Smart Group, now under public scrutiny after the massive blaze.
The fire that erupted on Saturday night is being blamed on the hydrogen peroxide-carrying containers kept at the depot amid allegations of lax security measures.
Also read: 'Arrest BM Container Depot MD Mujibur': Chhatra Odhikar Parishad
Mobin Hossain Khan, Manager Admin of Al-Razi Chemical Complex Ltd on Tuesday said complying with the demands of local people and leaders the factory will refrain from releasing any consignment until the government completes probe into the fire and explosions.
Locals living near the factory demanded its closure fearing a disaster even bigger than the depot fire, Monjurl Alam Chowdhury, former member of district Awami League committee told UNB.
Chowdhury along with Jafar Alam a former commissioner of South Pahartali ward-1 and some locals met the manager admin, and Ibrahim Khalil, General manager of the Al-Razi Complex on Monday afternoon to voice their fear.
“We have requested the authority to suspend production and delivery of hydrogen peroxide from the factory until investigation into the depot fire completes. We will not have any objection if it is produced here following proper safety protocols and government guidelines,” said Chowdhury.
Hydrogen peroxide from this factory was kept at the BM Container Depot which was suspected to be turned into a death trap when the fire started on Saturday night which also left some 200 people injured.
Also read: Sitakunda fire: Authorities lower death toll to 41
Apart from hydrogen peroxide, PVC pipe, PVC door and other materials are produced in the Al-Razi Chemical Complex built across 3 acres of land at the foot of hills at Thandachhari area in 2019.
17 prisoners, 2 cops injured as bus hits prison van in Keraniganj
A speeding bus lost control and hit a prison van, leaving 17 prisoners and two cops injured in front of Keraniganj Central Jail in Dhaka, police said on Tuesday.
The accident occurred around 7:30 pm on Monday at Rajendrapur on Dhaka-Mawa highway when the van changed its lane to enter the jail premises, said Shahjaman, officer-in-charge of South Keraniganj police station.
The van was transporting 37 old and new prisoners back to the jail after their court appearance in Dhaka city, said Shahjaman.
All the injured were from the prison van, he said.
Also read: 26 killed in India bus accident
Seriously injured prisoners Atikur,22, Atul,24, Munna,25, Murad,40, and Rumi,42, were admitted to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, he said.
Besides 12 other prisoners were given primary treatment at the jail hospital while the two cops were taken to Rajarbagh Police Lines Hospital.
The OC did not provide details about what happened to the bus.
Also read: Man killed in Kurigram road accident
Ctg fire: Families give DNA samples hoping to at least see missing beloved’s body
After looking for her husband, who has been missing since the BM Container Depot fire, with dreary eyes Reshmi finally stood in line for DNA sample submission at Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) on Monday.
She was holding her three-month old son Rihad, while her three-year-old, Rihan, was holding her left hand as she waited to enlist her husband Shahajahan.
Shahjahan was a covered van driver who went missing on Saturday night when a massive fire broke out at BM Container Depot in Sitakunda upazila.
Also read: 3 families from Feni mourn loss of loved ones in Ctg depot fire
As the UNB reporter approached her she broke down in tears saying “I talked with him last on Saturday night over phone. He said he was driving to Bhatiari.”
Reshmi, a housewife who used to live with her husband and two kids at Nazirhat area in Fatikchhari upazila, had never thought her fate would turn like this overnight.
Hospital in Chandpur fined after patient dies of "wrong treatment"
A mobile court fined a private hospital Tk 50,000 for wrongful treatment of a patient leading to death in Shahrasti upazila of Chandpur district.
The mobile court led by Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) Mohammad Amjad Hossain conducted the drive at Shahrashti Memorial Hospital and Digital Diagnostic Center on Sunday afternoon.
According to the upazila health complex, on May 9, Maryam Akhter Ritu, 24, a resident of Bhabanipur area of Kachua Upazila, was admitted to the hospital and gave birth to a baby through cesarean section.
Also read: DGHS Drive: 116 unregistered hospitals sealed across the country
When her condition deteriorated, she was referred to Cumilla Medical College and Hospital where she died on May 31 while undergoing treatment there.
The victim's family members lodged a complaint with the district civil surgeon.
Based on the complaint, Civil Surgeon Dr. Shahadat Hossain visited the hospital on Sunday afternoon and directed the Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer, Dr. Md. Nasir Uddin, to take necessary action.
Also read: Patient’s death ‘for doctors’ negligence’ sparks protest at KMCH
Nasir Uddin said the patient died due to wrong treatment and negligence. Therefore, the hospital has been fined under Section 53 of the Consumer Rights Protection Act-2009.
A three-member probe committee has been formed to investigate the matter, he said, adding the committee has been asked to submit a report within the next three days.
3 families from Feni mourn loss of loved ones in Ctg depot fire
The families of three victims from Feni, who were killed in the BM Container Depot fire, have been grieving since Saturday night.
Salauddin Quader Sabuj, 37, was a firefighter hailing from Sadar upazila of the district; Shahahdat Ullah Majumdar, 38, from Fulgazi upazila was shift-in-charge at BM Container Depot; and Mohammad Yeasin, 28, was a covered van driver, hailing from Sadar upazila of the district.
Yeasin remains missing after the fire incident while the two others were confirmed to have been killed during the fire.
Firefighter Sabuj was a son of Yusuf of Masimpur village and he left behind his wife, one son and one daughter.
During a visit to the house of Sabuj, the UNB correspondent learned that Sabuj visited his home during Eid and that was the last time he saw his family. Sabuj joined Sonagazi Fire Station as a firefighter in 2011.
Also read: Grief grips Noakhali village of firefighter Alauddin
Sabuj’s wife Marjina said she spoke to her husband around 9pm on Saturday, just before the fire. "When he heard the news, Sabuj rushed to the spot. I could not reach him after the explosion,” she recounts.
On Sunday, the relatives of Sabuj came to know that his body was kept at the mortuary of Chattogram Medical College and Hospital.
He was buried at his home village on Monday.
On the other hand, the family of Shahadat, son of Amin Ullah Majumdar of Fulgazi upazila, is also bemoaning the loss of the only bread earner of the family.
The parents of Shahadat have been lamenting since Saturday night after they heard the news of their son’s death.
Shahadat was talking to his parents on a video call but their connection got snapped after the explosion on the fateful night.
Also read: Ctg depot fire: DNA samples collection begins to identify deceased
Shahadat, a father of a two and half month old daughter, was on leave and joined his work on June 3.
The family members of Shahadat collected his body from the Chattogram Medical College and Hospital morgue on Sunday and brought him back to his village for burial.
Yeasin, son of Khoka Mia of Fulgazi upazila was the second issue of his parents.
After the massive inferno at Chattogram depot, the family of Yeasin has no idea about his whereabouts.He worked as a covered van driver at Spectra Company.
During a visit to Yeasin’s house, this UNB correspondent found that his mother Kokila Akter is continuously crying out the name of Yeasin.
Mohammad Nahid, a cousin of Yeasin, said: "He was at the depot when the blaze erupted and we saw the fire incident at the depot through his facebook as he went into the live stream. But suddenly an explosion occurred and he went missing."
Grief grips Noakhali village of firefighter Alauddin
A pall of gloom descended on the village of fireman Md Alauddin who was killed at BM container depot in Sitakunda upazila .
Alauddin, 35, hailing from Bansha village in Chatkhil upazila, returned to his workplace at Kumira in Chattogram Saturday morning after spending holidays at his village.
Also read:Operation to douse Ctg depot fire continues; Death toll stands at 50
Alauddin’s elder brother Zahir Uddin said Alauddin was the fifth of six brothers and four sisters in the family. He was father of six-year-old boy Taj Uddin Tahim.
“He joined his workplace at Kumira Fire Station Saturday morning after spending a seven-day holiday with his family at the village, the last holidays in his life,” he said in a choked voice.
Alauddin was the member of the unit that reached the spot first, Zahir said.
His family members received the news of his death from Chattogram Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) authority.
Alauddin's body was sent to his village on Sunday and will be buried on Monday.
He joined the Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defense in 2007 as a fireman.
Also read: ‘Pray for me,’ fireman Shakil’s last words to mother
The death toll from the fire reached 50 till Monday afternoon and there were nine fire service members among the deceased, said Anisur Rahman, deputy director of Fire Service and Civil Defense.
Besides, twelve firemen still remained missing, Shahjahan Shikdar, deputy assistant director of Fire Service and Civil Defense headquarters (media) on Sunday.
‘Pray for me,’ fireman Shakil’s last words to mother
“Pray for me,” were the final words fireman Shakil Tarafdar uttered to his mother over phone before joining the operation to douse the deadly fire at the BM container depot in Sitakunda of Chattogram Saturday night.
Shakil, son of Sattar Tarafdar and Jasmine Begum of Sukhdara village in Batiaghata upazila of Khulna district, is one of nine ill-fated fire fighters who were killed in the devastating blaze.
Also read: Container depot disaster claims firefighter Rony's life within 3 months of posting
Shakil Tarafdar joined Kumira Fire Service in Sitakunda three years ago. He was the youngest of three brothers.
He told his mother in his last call that he would come home during Eid-ul-Azha and join the Monirampur Fire Service office in Khulna zone. But the family’s dream was shattered at Shakil’s tragic death..
Shakil’s mother has been falling unconscious repeatedly after hearing the news of her son’s death.
His elder brother Moni Tarafdar went to Chattogram for bringing the body but yet to get his brother's body.
Sukhdara Union Parishad Chairman Zakir Hossain said that Shakil joined the fire service on January 20, in 2019 and had been working in Kumira office in Sitakunda since then.
Also read:Youth whose Facebook Live captured blast amid fire turns up dead
"The death toll from the fire climbed to 49 and there were nine fire service members among the deceased,” said Anisur Rahman, deputy director of Fire Service and Civil Defense, while briefing reporters at Chattogram Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) over the brutal blaze.
Besides, twelve firemen still remained missing, Shahjahan Shikdar, deputy assistant director of Fire Service and Civil Defense headquarters (media) on Sunday.