United News of Bangladesh

Two brothers were electrocuted while trying to save their father after he came into contact with a snapped live electric wire in Burhanuddin upazila of Bhola on Thursday. The deceased were identified as Abdur Rahim, 40, and Md Rakib, 30, sons of Md Alam Boktar of Shibpur in Shambupur union of Tazumuddin upazila. According to locals, Alam Boktar went to cut trees in a garden near Aiyub Ali’s house in ward No. 5 of Kachia union of Buhanuddin around 12:45pm when he came into contact with a snapped live electric wire. As Rahim and Rakib rushed to save their father, they also came into contact with the live wire and died on the spot. Alam Boktar survived the incident. Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Burhanuddin Police Station Md Ashrab Ali said police prepared inquest reports and handed over the bodies to the family members as there was no complaint.

The body of another tourist who went missing in the sea was recovered from Himchari beach in Cox’s Bazar on Thursday morning, raising the death toll to four. The body of Mohammad Harun, 20, son of Mohammad Kabir from the Shershah Jamtala area under Bayezid police station in Chattogram city, was recovered from Sagor Bilash area of Himchari beach around 9:00am, said Ramu Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Zillur Rahman. One person remained missing till the filing of this report around 4 pm. Mahbubur Rahman, a beach worker appointed by the district administration, said local people spotted the body near the place where three others drowned.  Later, members of the Fire Service and Himchari police outpost recovered it. Three other bodies of tourists were recovered on Wednesday. They were Al Mahibul Ibne Mokarram Rohan, 23, son of Mokarram Hossain from Diabari in Dhaka’s Uttara, Saiful Haque Jisan, 23, son of Mahbubul Haque from Dakshinkhan and Nafisul Haque, 22, son of Nabibur Rahman from Azimpur in Uttara. Locals said two groups of tourists visited a newly emerged sandbar between a canal and the sea after crossing Rezu Khal near Pachhar Dwip Museum on Wednesday. As the tide began rising in the afternoon, water levels increased and eventually submerged the sandbar, leaving several tourists caught in the water. Local people managed to rescue three members of a tourist group from Chattogram alive. The three survivors are receiving treatment at Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital. Rescue operations are continuing to locate the remaining missing tourist.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman reached Mongla in Bagerhat on Thursday afternoon after visiting parts of the Sundarbans. He arrived at BNS Mongla, a naval base of the Bangladesh Navy, at around 1:00pm. Earlier, the helicopter carrying the prime minister landed at the field of Nalion Secondary School in Dacope upazila at around 10:30am after he visited different parts of the Sundarbans including Hiron Point from the helicopter. He later travelled by waterway from Nalion launch terminal towards Mongla. After a lunch break, the prime minister was scheduled to attend a meeting at the wardroom conference room, according to his itinerary. His day's programme also includes a visit to the jetty of Mongla Port, followed by a departure for the proposed BEZA economic zone. Tarique left his residence for Tejgaon Airport in Dhaka at around 8:30am and arrived at the airport at 9:00am before boarding a helicopter for the Sundarbans. He is expected to return to Dhaka later in the day after completing his scheduled engagements. The visit focuses on the Sundarbans, Mongla Port and the investment potential of the proposed economic zone. Local residents and businesspeople hope the visit will help accelerate development initiatives surrounding Mongla Port, the proposed economic zone and the potential establishment of an LNG terminal. They expect improvements in port capacity and infrastructure to attract domestic and foreign investment and create new employment opportunities.

Nearly 3,000 tourists stranded in Sajek Valley in Rangamati were evacuated safely with the help of the Army and police on Thursday after armed members of the United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) allegedly opened fire on tourists and members of law enforcement agencies during an indefinite road blockade there. No casualties were, however, reported in the incident, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Directorate. The incident took place in the Gangaram Bazar area of Sajek in Bagaichari upazila, after the blockade disrupted traffic on the Sajek-Baghaichari road and left the tourists stranded. According to the ISPR statement, the Army and police jointly took security measures to escort the tourists safely to Khagrachhari, following the road blockade. Around 10:00am, the blockaders obstructed the road and stopped vehicles carrying tourists from moving forward. Security personnel then attempted to negotiate with the protesters to ensure safe passage for the visitors.  

Two people  were killed and another was seriously injured in a collision between a bus and a CNG-run auto-rickshaw on Dhaka-Aricha highway in Manikganj’s Shibaloy upazila on Thursday morning. The deceased were identified as Yasin, 22, son of Md Sahan, and Bablu, 28, son of Mojahar. Both were residents of Mouhali village in Gior upazila of Manikganj. Police and locals said, a Selfie Paribahan bus was heading to Dhaka from Paturia when it hit a CNG-run auto-rickshaw travelling from Mouhali village to Barongail Hat. One of the auto-rickshaw passengers died on the spot, while the other succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital. The auto-rickshaw driver sustained serious injuries and was later taken to Dhaka for treatment. Following the accident, angry locals blocked traffic on the highway, demanding a ban on Selfie Paribahan buses. Officer-in-Charge of Barongail Highway Police Statio Harun-or-Rashid said the bus was seized, but its driver and helper fled the scene. A case is being processed over the incident, he added.

A youth was shot dead by some unidentified miscreants in Khulna city early Thursday. The deceased was identified as Tushar, 22, . Police and locals said a scuffle broke out among several youths near Khademul Ulum Madrasha in East Baniakhmar around 5:30am. At one stage, one of them pulled out firearms and opened fire, leaving Tushar injured. On information, police recovered the body and sent it to Khulna Medical College Hospital, where the on-duty physician declared him dead. Police also recovered a motorcycle from the scene and two bullet casings from a nearby location. Sub-Inspector Md Shah Alam of Khulna Sadar Police Station said Tushar was an active member of Palash group, led by a top Khulna criminal who is currently in jail. Officer-in-Charge of Khulna Sadar Police Station Md Lokman Hossain Mia said Tushar was a listed criminal and faced several criminal cases.

A man died from electrocution while taking an idol of Goddess Durga for immersion on Bijoya Dashami in Gouripur upazila of Mymensingh on Wednesday night. The deceased was identified as Sanjib Chauhan, 48, son of Shyamlal Chauhan of Masterbari area in Gouripur municipality. Police and locals said the incident occurred around 9pm in front of the Jhalak Puja Mandap in Masterbari when Sanjib came into contact with a thatched electric wire while the idol was being taken out for immersion. He was rescued in critical condition and taken to Gouripur Upazila Health Complex, where the on-duty physician declared him dead, said Officer-in-Charge of Gouripur Police Station Habibur Rahman.

At least five people suffered burns and up to 12 were injured after a boiler malfunction triggered a fire at Kalibari Dyeing and Finishing Mill in Madhabdi upazila of Narsingdi on Wednesday. The incident occurred around 5pm when the mill's boiler went out of order. Two technicians were critically burned. They were  identified as Faisal Ahmed and Rubel Mia. The identities of the other burn victims are yet to be confirmed. They were initially rushed to local facilities and later transferred to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka for advanced treatment.

Three tourists drowned, three others went missing, and one was rescued alive while bathing in the sea at Himchhari beach in Cox's Bazar on Wednesday afternoon. The incident occurred around 5:00pm at the beach adjacent to the Marina Resort museum, according to Dolon Acharya, Senior Station Officer of Cox's Bazar Fire Service and Civil Defence. The rescued tourist is currently undergoing treatment at Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital. "Two groups of tourists had gone bathing in the sea-one from the Bayezid area in Chattogram and the other from Uttara in Dhaka," Acharya said. Rescue operations by the fire service are underway in the sea to trace the three missing tourists, the Acharya added.

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad on Wednesday alleged that the Awami League used politics to plunder the country’s wealth during its 17 years in power. “For 17 years, a political party was in power, and the whole world is now aware of its misdeeds,” he said. The Speaker made the remarks while addressing a reception hosted in his honour by the Tazumuddin upazila unit of BNP and its affiliated bodies at the Upazila Parishad auditorium. Referring to former state minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury Javed, Hafiz Uddin claimed that he owns 400 houses in London and that the British government has initiated steps to confiscate them following a communication from the Bangladesh government identifying the locations of the properties. He expressed hope that the houses will be confiscated soon. The Speaker also claimed that Javed owns around 100 houses in Dubai, about 50 in the United States and 30 to 40 in Canada. He questioned how a single minister can own so many properties abroad, alleging that the wealth was accumulated by looting the money of ordinary people. Hafiz Uddin also claimed that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy owns numerous properties in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. He alleged that several former lawmakers similarly used politics to enrich themselves at the expense of ordinary citizens. Referring to properties allegedly acquired with illicit funds in Canada’s so-called Begumpara, the Speaker accused Awami League leaders of laundering money abroad and fleeing the country. “Several political parties are extremely corrupt and have put the country’s future at risk while enriching themselves by looting the wealth of ordinary people,” he said. The reception was accorded to Speaker Hafiz Uddin following his election as chairman of the Asia-Pacific Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). Tazumuddin upazila BNP President Golam Mostafa Mintu chaired the programme, while its General Secretary Asad Rintu moderated it. Earlier, the Speaker attended an exchange of views with officials of the upazila administration. After the reception, he visited several Durga Puja mandaps in Tazumuddin and exchanged greetings with members of the Hindu community.