United News of Bangladesh

A customs official, who went missing while returning to Dhaka after completing training in Chattogram, was found dead on a footpath in Cumilla on Saturday morning, around 12 hours after his disappearance. Victim Bullet Bairagi, 35, was an Assistant Revenue Officer of the Customs, Excise and VAT Department. He was undergoing the 44th Basic Training Course in Chattogram. According to family sources, Bairagi went to Chattogram on April 11 for official training. After completing the course, he left for Dhaka by bus from the Alankar intersection in Chattogram around 11:00pm on Friday. Gatekeeper held over fatal over Cumilla level crossing accident He remained in contact with his family during the journey. At around 2:25am, he last informed them that he had reached Tomchom Bridge intersection in Cumilla city. However, after he failed to return home, his family tried to contact him but found his mobile phone switched off. Unable to trace him despite searching in different areas, his father Sushil Bairagi filed a general diary (GD) with Cumilla Kotwali Model Police Station on Saturday morning. Md Abdul Momin, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Moynamati Highway Police Station, said police recovered the body of an unidentified man from a footpath beside the Irish Hotel and Restaurant on the Dhaka–Chattogram highway after receiving a call through the national emergency service 999. Later around 1:00pm, family members identified the body as that of Bullet Bairagi. The OC said no major injury marks were found on the body, although the face appeared slightly bloodstained. Touhidul Anwar, OC of Cumilla Kotwali Model Police Station, said the matter is under investigation and the actual cause of death will be confirmed after legal procedures.

A degree examinee allegedly committed suicide by taking an overdose of sleeping pills, in the face of family pressure over marriage in Pirganj upazila of Thakurgaon district. The deceased was identified as Lipi, 24, daughter of Chandra Mohan Roy of Danajpur village under Gumanupara area of Senhga Union in the upazila. She was a third-year degree student of Pirganj Government College. She died on Friday (April 24) afternoon while undergoing treatment at Pirganj Upazila Health Complex. Mother and child run over by train in Narail According to Pirganj Hospital Residential Medical Officer (RMO) Dr Waris Yajdani, the victim was brought to the hospital in an unconscious state at around 2am on Thursday night (Friday morning). He said the family informed doctors that she had consumed sleeping pills. She was later given treatment including gastric lavage, but died on Friday afternoon. Family members said she returned home after sitting for her degree examination on Thursday. Later, her father informed her that a marriage proposal was coming to see her. However, when she opposed getting married, she came under heavy pressure from her family. Later she consumed an excessive amount of sleeping pills out of frustration. Senhga Union Parishad Chairman Saidur Rahman confirmed the incident, saying that the preliminary assumption is that she took the step due to mental distress caused by family pressure. Immediately after death, family members took the body away , Police said.

NARAIL, Apr 25 (UNB) - A woman and her  child  were killed after being run over by a train in Barashula Chitra Bridge area of Narail town on Saturday, leaving the locality in deep shock. The accident occurred around 12:45 pm when a Benapole-bound train from Dhaka ran over them on the Chitra Bridge railway line. The identities of the deceased could not be immediately confirmed, police said. Locals said the unidentified woman had repeatedly asked residents about the arrival time of trains before going onto the Chitra Bridge rail line. Later, she and her child were hit by the train, resulting in their deaths on the spot. Ajoy Kumar Kundu, Narail Sadar Police Station (Investigation) Officer-in-Charge (OC), said efforts are underway to identify the deceased woman and her child.

A man was killed and at least five others were injured in a clash over paddy harvesting in Terokhada upazila of Khulna on Saturday morning. The incident took place around 7:00am in front of the house of one Amzad Hossain in Madhupur village, police said. The deceased was identified as Nur Alam, who succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at Khulna Medical College Hospital around noon. Among the injured, four were identified as Musa (30), Sohel Rana (50), Mofiz Munshi (30), and Dhola Fakir (30). The injured are currently receiving treatment at the same hospital. Youth blindfolded, shot in abdomen in Khulna Officer-in-Charge of Terokhada Police Station Shahidul Islam said the clash erupted between two groups led by local individuals Shahidul and Saiful Morol over cutting paddy from a disputed land. Five people sustained serious injuries during the clash and were later rushed to hospital, where Nur Alam died.

Faridpur, known as Bangladesh’ jute capital,is facing a looming setback in jute production as farmers struggle with an acute shortage of diesel during the crucial sowing season. The shortfall in fuel coupled with irregular electricity supply, has disrupted irrigation activities across the district, raising fears that jute output may be affected this season. However, agricultural officials remain cautiously optimistic, saying a couple of spells of heavy rainfall could ease the crisis. According to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Faridpur, the target for jute cultivation in the current Rabi season has been set at 87,000 hectares. Farmers typically begin sowing jute seeds immediately after harvesting onions, relying heavily on irrigation to prepare the fields. So far, around 60 percent of the targeted land has already been brought under cultivation. The ongoing Iran-Israel conflict has impacted global oil markets, leading to a fuel shortage in the country that is now affecting agricultural operations at the local level. With diesel supplies falling short and power outages persisting, many growers are worried about meeting irrigation needs on time. Local farmers from Saltha and Nagarkanda upazilas said timely irrigation is critical for jute cultivation. “The soil needs to retain some moisture during sowing so that the seeds can germinate properly. Without adequate water, germination is poor,” one farmer explained. Jute growers in Boalmari including Paritosh Kittunia, Moniruzzaman and Mizanur Rahman, echoed similar concerns. Frequent load-shedding, lack of fuel, falling groundwater levels, and fertiliser shortages — everything together has made farming extremely difficult,they said. Sahida Begum, a model farmer in the district, said prolonged diesel crisis could reduce not only jute production but also output of other crops. Shahduzzaman, deputy director of the DAE in Faridpur, said the department has introduced fuel cards to ensure diesel supply reaches genuine farmers. “We hope this will provide some relief. Moreover, a couple of heavy rainfall during the season could significantly reduce the current pressure,” he added. Faridpur Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Kamal Hasan Molla said the administration has designated specific filling stations to facilitate easier access to diesel for farmers and intensified monitoring of fuel distribution across the district. “We are prioritising jute farmers during this critical period to ensure irrigation activities continue uninterrupted,” he said. Farmers said any prolonged disruption could severely affect crop production, leading to financial losses for growers and broader economic repercussions for the country.

Two women, including a five-month pregnant housewife, died in separate electrocution incidents in Hajiganj and Matlab South upazilas of Chandpur on Friday. The deceased were  Sumaiya Akter (22), wife of auto-rickshaw driver Sharif Hossain Munshi, who died after being electrocuted at Kuruli Munshi Bari in Barakul West Union around noon, and schoolgirl Istrat Jahan Ima,15, resident of  Naogaon village under Upadhi North Union in Matlab South upazila.  Locals said Sumaiya was charging her husband’s battery-run auto-rickshaw when she suddenly came into contact with live electricity and was critically injured. She fell to the ground after receiving the shock. Hearing her screams, family members rushed her to Hajiganj Upazila Health Complex, where on-duty doctors declared her dead. Hajiganj Police Station Sub-Inspector Abu Sayeem said the body was taken into police custody. The deceased’s husband Sharif Hossain said his wife was five months pregnant. Md Abdul Jabbar, Officer-in-Charge(OC) of Hajiganj Police Station, said the body was handed over without post-mortem following a written request as there was no complaint from the family. On the other hand,  Naogaon School headteacher Shibir Ahmed said Ima was a class VII student and a meritorious pupil. Her mother Ruma Akter works abroad, while her father works in Chattogram. She used to live at her maternal grandfather’s house for studies. Police and family sources said that at noon, on the request of her grandfather Tajul Islam, Ima climbed onto the roof using a ladder to clean accumulated leaves. At that time, she came into contact with a live electric wire passing over the roof, which had earlier become electrified due to a damaged wire. Unaware of the danger, she fell to the ground after a severe electric shock and sustained critical injuries. She was rushed to Matlab Upazila Health Complex, where on-duty doctor Arif Hossain declared her dead. Hafizur Rahman Manik, Matlab South Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC), said an unnatural death case has been filed and the body was sent to Chandpur Sadar Hospital for autopsy.

A child and an elderly man were killed in two separate road accidents in Gobindaganj upazila of Gaibandha on Friday. The deceased were identified as Biraj Mia (65) of Maleka Bad village under Katabari union, and Akash Mia (4), son of expatriate Mintu Mia. Locals said Biraj Mia was going to a mosque for prayers on Friday when he was crossing the Gobindaganj–Dinajpur road in Katabari area. At that time, a speeding truck ran him over, killing him on the spot. In another incident at No. 2 Katabari on the Gobindaganj–Dinajpur regional highway during Friday Jumma prayer time, four-year-old Akash Mia was crossing the road in front of his house when an unidentified truck hit him and fled the scene. He also died on the spot. Mozzafar Hossain, Gobindaganj Highway Police Station Officer-in-Charge(OC), confirmed the accidents and said legal procedures are underway.

Power generation at the Barapukuria Thermal Power Plant resumed on Friday night after remaining shut for two days due to a mechanical fault. With the restart, around 55 to 65 megawatts of electricity is being added to the national grid, officials said. Chief Engineer Abu Bakkar Siddique said the problem was detected during coal dusting before feeding fuel into the furnace, when stones mixed with coal caused a mechanical fault in the system. The plant’s only operational Unit-1 had been shut down at 10:02pm on Wednesday for repairs. Following maintenance, the unit resumed power generation at 8:07pm on Friday. Meanwhile, work is underway to bring the 275MW Unit-3 into operation in the first half of May, he added. The 125MW Unit-2, which has remained out of service for nearly five years, will also be restarted after undergoing a major overhaul, the official said.

Members of the Bangladesh Coast Guard seized a large quantity of illegally stored fuel and adulterated edible oil during a drive in Daulatkhan upazila of Bhola. Coast Guard media officer Lt Commander Sabbir Alam Sujan said on Friday that the drive was carried out around 10pm on Thursday in the embankment area adjacent to Beauty Road under Daulatkhan police station, acting on a tip-off. During the drive, officials searched six shops in the area and recovered around 2,850 litres of illegal fuel, including diesel, petrol and octane, along with 900 litres of adulterated edible oil, with an estimated value of Tk 5,40,750. 4,000 litres of illegal fuel seized in Bhola The seized fuel is being processed for sale at market price under the supervision of the Daulatkhan Upazila Nirbahi Officer, while steps are underway to destroy the adulterated edible oil, the official added.

A man was killed in a road accident in front of the Superintendent of Police’s bungalow on the Narail-Magura road in Narail on Friday afternoon. The accident occurred  at around 5:30pm. The deceased was identified as Md Jamirul Khan, 45, son of late Khoka Khan of Burikhali village under Narail Sadar upazila. According to police and locals, Jamirul was returning home with cattle on  a  three-wheeler vehicle (Alamshadhu) from Maijpara cattle market. When he reached in front of the SP’s bungalow on the Narail-Magura road, a van coming from the opposite direction suddenly attempted to cross the road, leading to a head-on collision between the two vehicles. Female cop commits suicide at Narail Police Lines Locals rescued the injured and took them to Narail District Hospital, where on-duty doctor Dr. Sharifuzzaman declared Jamirul Khan dead. Another person named Rabiul Molla was injured in the incident. Oli Mia, Narail Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge(OC) confirmed the accident and said legal procedures are underway to hand over the body to the family.