United News of Bangladesh

Two children drowned while bathing in the Padma River in Chapainawabganj district on Friday noon. The deceased were identified as Jasmin, 8, daughter of Zahurul Islam of Bakher Ali area under Charbagdanga Union in Sadar upazila, and Israt, 7, daughter of Kajal Ahad of Chakpara village in the same Union. The incident occurred in the Padma River at Bakher Ali village under Charbagdanga Union of Chapainawabganj Sadar upazila. According to locals, the two girls went to bathe in the river around noon and later went missing after drowning. On receiving information, a team from the Fire Service rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation. After prolonged efforts, rescuers first recovered the body of Jasmin and later retrieved the body of Israt from the river. Ekramul Hossain, Officer-in-Charge(OC) of Chapainawabganj Sadar Police Station, confirmed the incident.

Eleven police personnel, including six officers, have been temporarily suspended following allegations of assaulting a local Swecchasebak Dal leader inside Kotwali Police Station in Rangpur city. The suspension order was issued on Friday through an official letter signed by Habibur Rahman, Deputy Police Commissioner (Headquarters and Administration) of Rangpur Metropolitan Police. The suspended personnel are Sub-Inspectors (SIs) Masud Rana, Alam Badsha and Aktarul Islam; Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASIs) Monirul Islam, Ariful Islam and Meherunnesa; and Constables Mushfiqur Rahman, Mukhlesur Rahman, Rakib Ahmed, Lima Soren and Bhabna Rani. According to the order, a three-member investigation committee was formed to probe allegations surrounding an “unfortunate incident” that occurred at Kotwali Police Station on June 3.   The investigation report found preliminary evidence of deliberate negligence in duty, inefficiency, unprofessional conduct and misconduct by several police personnel in connection with an incident involving Rakibuzzaman Rakib, Sirajum Munira Moufi and Ruman Babu. As the allegations were found to be prima facie true, the 11 police personnel were suspended in accordance with departmental rules. Earlier, six police personnel, including then Officer-in-Charge (OC) Azad Rahman, were withdrawn from Kotwali Police Station and was later transferred to Khulna Range. According to the victim and eyewitnesses, a general diary (GD) had been filed by family members of a missing couple from the city's CEO Bazar area before Eid. After the couple was recovered, they were brought to Kotwali Police Station on June 3. Several leaders of Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal along with Rakibul Islam Rakib went to the police station at the request of the couple’s families to help settle the matter. Upon arriving at the station, Rakib allegedly saw the couple had been severely beaten by police personnel. When he protested, OC Azad Rahman and several police personnel allegedly assaulted him, leaving him injured and bleeding. As news of the incident spread, leaders and activists of the BNP and its associate bodies gathered near the police station. Later that night, around 11pm, the couple was released from the police station, while injured Rakib was admitted to a hospital. Mohammad Abdul Mabud, RpMP Commissioner, said the metropolitan police follow a “zero-tolerance” policy against negligence, misconduct or any unlawful activities by police personnel.

A trader was shot to death by miscreants in Khulna city on Friday afternoon. The victim was identified as Rafique Gazi, son of Ratan Gazi of the Mathabhanga Kazipara area under Labanchora Police Station. The incident took place in the area around 12:30pm, said Officer-in-Charge of the police station Syed Mosharef Hossain. The details regarding the incident have yet to be known.

Police have arrested a man in a case filed on charges of attempting to rape a widow and later abduct her two-year-old child in Lama upazila of Bandarban district. The arrestee is Md Nasir, 35, son of Maju Majhi of Banshkhailyazhiri Para under Fashiakhali union in the upazila. Officer-in-Charge of Lama Police Station Muhammad Shahjahan Kamal said police picked him up during a drive in the area early Friday. According to locals and police, the widow of Banshkhailyazhiri Para was collecting vegetables in a beel near her home around 5:00pm on Wednesday when Nasir attempted to rape her. When the woman resisted, the accused threatened her with a sharp knife. At one stage, the woman managed to escape and started fleeing the scene. However, Nasir chased her. Hearing her screams, local residents rushed in, prompting the accused to flee. After a while, the accused attempted to abduct the woman's two-year-old child, but fled sensing the presence of policemen. Following the incident, the victim filed a case against Nasir at Lama Police Station under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act on Thursday night. Later, a police team conducted a raid around 3:00am on Friday and arrested the accused.

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) have arrested a man accused of supplying firearms and food to robbers operating in the Sundarbans. The arrestee was identified as Md Sabur Sheikh, 51, son of Akhter Ali Sheikh of Srifaltala Dakkhinpara village in Rampal upazila of the district. A team of the elite force conducted a special operation on Thursday afternoon at the village and arrested him, the RAB-6 said in a press release on Friday morning. Three local single-barrel guns wrapped in black polythene were recovered during the operation, it said. According to RAB sources, Sabur Sheikh had long been involved in supplying weapons and food to the Chhoto Jahangir Bahini, a robber group active in the Sundarbans. He had prior cases filed against him at Mongla Police Station. RAB-6 confirmed that the suspect was caught while supplying arms to the group. Later, he was handed over to Rampal Police Station and a case was filed against him under the Arms Act.

Newly appointed Chuadanga Zila Parishad Administrator Md Sorifuzzaman has pledged to work with all stakeholders to accelerate development, improve public services and build a prosperous district through collective efforts. He has also expressed his commitment to carrying out his responsibilities with sincerity, transparency and dedication. Sorifuzzaman, general secretary of district BNP, made the remarks while addressing a reception accorded to him at the Chuadanga Press Club auditorium on Thursday. He said necessary initiatives would be taken to ensure the district’s development, promote public welfare and address the legitimate demands of the journalist community. Stressing the importance of good governance, administrator vowed to establish a corruption-free administration. “The activities of the Zila Parishad will be carried out for the overall development of the district’s four upazilas, four municipalities, 43 unions and five police stations,” he said, adding that cooperation from all sections of society is required to achieve sustainable progress. Among others, former principal of Chuadanga Government College Prof Siddiqur Rahman, Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Somoyer Somikoron Nazmul Haque Swapan, Editor and Publisher of the Daily Mathabhanga Sardar Alamin and Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Ajker Khaskhobor Rajib Hasan Kochi addressed the event.

Over half of the government primary schools in Narail district are currently operating without permanent head teachers, forcing assistant teachers to shoulder additional administrative responsibilities and affecting classroom teaching. According to the District Primary Education Office, 280 of the district’s 495 government primary schools – nearly 57 percent – are being run by acting headmasters. DSB Government Primary School in Sheikhhati union of Sadar upazila is such a school. Established in 1954 and nationalised in 1974, the school currently has 132 students but has remained without a permanent head teacher for the past two years. Assistant teacher Mahmuda Parvin, who is serving as the acting head teacher, said the dual responsibilities often interfere with classroom activities. “As I am performing the duties of a head teacher, I frequently have to remain occupied with official work. As a result, classroom teaching is disrupted,” she said. Another assistant teacher at the same school, Sonia Khanam, said administrative and official duties often require acting head teachers to stay outside the school premises. “Teacher numbers are already limited. Managing both administrative responsibilities and regular teaching activities has become increasingly difficult,” she added. The shortage is not limited to head teachers. Assistant teacher positions also remain vacant in many schools across the district, forcing them to conduct academic activities with insufficient staff. Kripa Sikder, who has been serving as acting head teacher at Tularampur Government Primary School in Narail Sadar since 2018, expressed frustration over the situation. “Although I am performing the responsibilities of a head teacher, I continue to receive the salary of an assistant teacher. We are also deprived of the second-class status and other benefits designated for head teachers,” she said. Kripa Sikder noted that prolonged additional responsibilities without corresponding benefits have led to growing dissatisfaction among teachers. Teachers said acting head teachers must simultaneously manage classroom instruction and a wide range of administrative tasks, including maintaining records, submitting government reports online, coordinating meetings and overseeing office management. They said these responsibilities often leave insufficient time for teaching, particularly in schools already facing teacher shortages. Guardians also voiced concern, saying the head teacher serves as the academic and administrative leader of a school. Prolonged vacancies in such positions weaken overall school management and place additional pressure on teachers, ultimately affecting the quality of education. District Primary Education Officer Md Jahangir Alam acknowledged the challenges caused by teacher shortages. “We are trying to address the situation through acting head teachers. The issue of vacant posts has been communicated to the Directorate of Primary Education,” he said. Jahangir Alam attributed the prolonged vacancies largely to legal complications and expressed hope that the issue will be resolved soon.

A fire that broke out at Khulna City Medical College Hospital on Thursday night was brought under control after a major firefighting operation involving 11 Fire Service units and personnel from the Bangladesh Navy. The blaze erupted around 9:00 pm on the ground floor of the 17-storey hospital building at Moylapota Mor in the Sonadanga area of Khulna city, triggering panic among patients, attendants and hospital staff. On information, firefighters rushed to the scene and launched efforts to contain the fire, bringing it under control at around 11:15 pm, said Ariful Islam, Senior Station Master of Khulna Fire Service. A total of 11 Fire Service units, assisted by Navy personnel, took part in the operation. The cause of the fire could not be immediately determined. "So far, we have not received any information about casualties or injuries. The origin of the fire is also yet to be determined," the fire official said.

A Bangladesh Coast Guard station in the Sundarbans came under attack and was vandalised in Mongla upazila of Bagerhat on Thursday morning, leaving several Coast Guard personnel injured. The incident took place at the Coast Guard Station Harbaria in the Joymonir Ghol area of the Sundarbans. In a press release issued in the evening, the Coast Guard said a group of miscreants launched a sudden attack on the station and carried out vandalism, injuring several personnel on duty. Following the incident, police were deployed in the area to maintain law and order. According to the statement sent by Coast Guard Media Officer Lieutenant Commander Sabbir Alam Sujon, the Coast Guard has taken necessary measures to bring the situation under control and launched a joint operation to determine the actual cause of the attack. Efforts are also underway to identify those involved and bring them to justice, the statement said. The Coast Guard alleged that certain vested interests and criminal groups orchestrated the attack and vandalism as part of a planned effort to force the station out of the area and facilitate their illegal activities. The statement further claimed that the attack was intended to disrupt the Coast Guard’s ongoing operations against forest pirates, maintain law and order in the Sundarbans, and hinder its successful enforcement activities. The Coast Guard said no propaganda, misinformation campaign or conspiracy by vested quarters would be able to obstruct its operational activities and responsibilities. It added that the force has been carrying out its duties with professionalism, integrity and dedication to ensure overall security in the Sundarbans, suppress forest piracy, preserve biodiversity and maintain law and order in coastal areas. Regular patrols, intelligence surveillance and special drives are conducted to prevent theft, robbery and other forms of sabotage in different parts of the Sundarbans, the statement said. According to the Coast Guard, the station was established in Joymonir Ghol, under Mongla upazila, as the area had long been known as a key base for forest pirates and their associates. The force claimed that its presence in the area has effectively disrupted the supply of logistics, weapons and other support to criminal groups, making it increasingly difficult for them to continue their illegal activities. As a result, forest pirates and their associates do not want the Coast Guard to remain stationed there, the statement added. However, another source said a group of local men and women from the Joymonir Ghol area allegedly went to the Coast Guard station in small boats and attacked a Coast Guard vessel. No reliable source could immediately provide further details about the claim. Mongla Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Atikur Rahman said police rushed to the spot after receiving information about the incident. “The situation is now fully under control and police have been deployed in the area,” he said. The OC also said the Coast Guard is preparing to file a written complaint and that legal action will be taken upon receiving it. Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the Sundarbans East Forest Division, Md Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, said authorities had been receiving reports of tension in the area since morning. “The Coast Guard station is located close to a local settlement. The matter is being investigated by the relevant authorities,” he added.

Low-lying areas of Nalitabari, Jhenaigati and Sreebardi upazilas in Sherpur districts were inundated on Thursday following heavy rainfall and a sudden influx of hill runoff from upstream areas. According to local sources, floodwaters entered several homes, causing suffering for residents and disrupting normal life in the affected areas. The water level of the Chellakhali River in Nalitabari rose sharply and was flowing 174 centimetres above the danger level at Batkuchi point on Thursday afternoon, officials said. Flash flood waters were also reported in the Bhogai, Maharashi and Someshwari rivers. Water from the hill runoff was seen flowing over sections of the Nalitabari-Gazirkhamar road in the Gaglajani area and the Rangtia-Sandhyakura road in Jhenaigati, affecting local transportation. The sudden surge of water also caused disruption at Madhutila Eco Park, a popular tourist destination in the district. According to the Sherpur office of the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB), 15.5 millimetres of rainfall were recorded in Nalitabari during the 12 hours until 3pm on Thursday, while the highest rainfall of 32 millimetres was recorded at the Nakugaon point near the border. At 3pm, the water level of the Chellakhali River at Batkuchi point stood at 23.68 metres, 174 centimetres above the danger mark. Among other rivers, the Maharashi River in Jhenaigati was flowing at 21.38 metres, the Someshwari River in Sreebardi at 23.60 metres and the Bhogai River at Nakugaon at 18.77 metres. Mosa Ziasmin Khatun, sub-assistant engineer of the Sherpur Water Development Board, said water levels in the rivers had increased due to heavy rainfall and a sudden influx of hill runoff from upstream areas. "If rainfall decreases and no further surge of water comes from upstream, the water level is expected to recede," she said, adding that officials are monitoring the situation round the clock.