United News of Bangladesh

Ten bodies have been recovered as a fire ripped through a resort in Patuertek area near Inani Beach in Ukhiya upazila of Cox’s Bazar district on Saturday morning. “10 charred bodies have been recovered so far and a BGB team has joined the rescue operation,”  said Talha Bin Zashim, an official at the Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters. The deceased were identified as Ishrat Jahan Maliha, 30, and Milita Mehejabin Alvi, 23, from Banasree in Dhaka, Laila Jahan Nabila, 27, and Nafista Mim, 27, from Khilgaon area in the capital and  Fariha Kabir 33, and Faizan Ahmed, 5, from Chuadanga. The identities of the other deceased could not be confirmed immediately. The injured were identified as Shihab Uddin, 31, a physician at Mugda Medical College Hospital, his wife Nafiza Newaz Khan, 29, Mannan, 34; Meherunnesa, 30, Masud, 30, and Samida, 32.  

Police recovered the body of a security guard from an under-construction building in the city’s Khadimpara area on Friday and detained 13 construction workers for questioning over the incident. The deceased was identified as Irfan Ali, a resident of Naya village in Fatehpur Union of Gowainghat upazila. He had been working as a guard at the building for the past two and a half years. The body was recovered from the fourth floor of the building around 3:30pm after locals informed police. Police said there were injury marks on the head and body of the deceased. Officer-in-Charge of Shahporan (Rah.) Police Station Ferdous Ahmed said 13 workers employed at the building had been detained for initial questioning in connection with the suspected killing. Police also recovered a hammer and an iron-like object from the scene, he said.

A mobile court has sentenced 30 fishermen to 18 days in jail each for catching mother hilsa in defiance of the government ban in the Meghna River in Haimchar upazila of Chandpur. A total of 32 fishermen were detained during a joint drive conducted by the upazila administration, fisheries department and Coast Guard from Thursday evening until around 11:45pm. Haimchar Upazila Assistant Fisheries Officer Md Mahbub Rashid confirmed the matter to UNB on Friday. He said Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and Executive Magistrate Md Nazrul Islam conducted the mobile court late Thursday night after returning to the upazila headquarters following the drive. The 30 fishermen sentenced to jail were sent to prison on Friday, while the two others, both minors, were released into their guardians’ custody after providing written undertakings and receiving warnings. During the drive, authorities also seized around 100,000 metres of illegal current nets, which were burned and destroyed on the riverbank on Friday. Besides, the 24 kilogrammes of mother hilsa seized during the operation were distributed to a local orphanage. UNO Md Nazrul Islam said drives on the river were continuing to enforce the government-imposed ban and ensure the uninterrupted breeding of mother hilsa.

A local Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal leader was hacked to death by unidentified assailants in Cumilla city on Friday. The deceased was identified as Kawsar, a leader of ward No. 4 unit of Jubo Dal of Cumilla City Corporation, according to local sources. The attack took place in the Chhatrakhil area on the northern bank of the Gomti River near Kaptan Bazar. Locals rescued Kawsar in critical condition and took him to Cumilla Trauma Hospital, where an emergency department physician declared him dead after examination. Locals suspect that previous enmity or another dispute might have led to the attack, although the motive has not yet been established. Additional Superintendent of Police Md Lutfar Rahman said several police teams were working on the incident. The circumstances surrounding the killing and the identities of those involved remain unclear.

The restriction on tourist visits to Sajek in Rangamati’s Baghaichari upazila was lifted on Friday after four days, with around 800 tourists entering the popular destination on the first day. The return of tourists has brought fresh activity to the local economy, including resorts, restaurants and transport services. Locals said travel to Sajek had been restricted for the past few days due to security concerns and other unavoidable circumstances, leaving many tourists uncertain about their travel plans. As the overall situation returned to normal, the local administration lifted the restriction from Friday to allow tourists to visit the area again. Suparna Deb Barman, president of the Sajek Cottage-Resort Owners’ Association, said around 800 tourists reached Sajek on the first day after the four-day closure. Many visitors have already confirmed advance bookings, he said. Local cottage, restaurant and transport operators have completed preparations to welcome the returning tourists, Suparna added. Officer-in-Charge of Sajek Police Station Toffazzal Hossain said special attention is being given to security arrangements in line with the local administration’s decision. Police and other law enforcement agencies remain alert to ensure that tourists can travel around the area comfortably and without security concerns or other difficulties, he said. Earlier, Rangamati district administration imposed a ban on tourist visits to Sajek Valley on October 11 for security concerns over an indefinite road blockade enforced by the Sajek Public Rights Protection Committee and the Sajek Karbari Association on the Sajek-Dighinala road.

A woman was killed and a man severely injured when a speeding motorcycle hit their bike in Narail on Friday morning. The deceased was identified as Mukta Rani Biswas, 50, wife of Ganesh Sarkar of Uttar Kholshekhali village in Narail Sadar upazila. Mukta, assistant of a painter, was heading to a house in Mushuria village for work, riding pillion on her colleague Nirmal Sardar's motorcycle. Another motorcycle crashed into bike from behind near Gobra Mittra College on the Gobra Bazar regional road and fled away. The accident threw both onto the road, leaving them critically injured. Locals rescued them and rushed them to Narail District Hospital, where duty doctors declared Mukta dead. Officer-in-Charge of Narail Sadar Police Station Md Rasel Sarwar said police visited the scene.

The Special Response Battalion (SRB) recovered 92 crude bombs, 11.8 kg of gunpowder and explosive-making materials from a mango orchard in Chapainawabganj Sadar upazila early Friday. Acting on a tip-off, a team from the Chapainawabganj Company Commander's Office of SRB-5, assisted by the Rajshahi SRB-5 Bomb Disposal Unit, conducted a raid on the mango orchard at Purba Tikara village under Maharajpur union around 2:00am. During the drive, law enforcers seized the explosives and other materials in an abandoned condition. No suspects were found or arrested at the spot. According to an SRB press release issued on Friday morning, officers suspect miscreants stockpiled the explosives to carry out subversive activities across various locations. The seized explosives were handed over to Chapainawabganj Sadar Police Station for further legal proceedings.

Two members of Bangladesh Police were detained by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) near the Bangladesh-India border in Brahmanpara upazila of Cumilla while conducting an anti-narcotics operation, police said. The incident took place around 11:30pm on Thursday in the Ashabari area of Shashidal union, near border pillar No. 2059. According to Brahmanpara Police Station, the detainees are Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Imran Hossain and Constable Rohit Dewan, both posted to the police station. They went to the border area to conduct an anti-narcotics drive when a suspected drug trader tried to flee after spotting the police. Rohit chased the suspect but was caught by several Indian nationals near the border. When Imran went to bring his colleague back, he was also detained. Md Faruk Hossain, officer-in-charge of Brahmanpara Police Station, said senior officials of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the BSF were in contact over the incident. He expressed hope that the BSF will hand over the two cops by this noon.

A former assistant general manager (AGM) of Bangladesh Krishi Bank was killed after being hit by a battery-powered easy-bike in the Kandirpar area of Cumilla city on Thursday night. The deceased, Dipak Saha, 68, was a resident of Kandirpar. He had served as an AGM at the bank’s Motijheel branch in Dhaka. The accident occurred in front of Zaman Medical Hall on Nazrul Avenue around 8:30pm. Dip Saha, owner of the medical hall, said Dipak Saha was gossiping with a few others at his shop in the evening. As he left the shop and tried to cross the road, a speeding easy-bike hit him. The impact threw him onto the road, and the vehicle ran over him, leaving him critically injured. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Local residents caught easy-bike driver Ibrahim and held him until police arrived. Rakib, in-charge of the local traffic police, said they rushed to the scene after receiving information about the accident. The driver was taken to Kotwali Police Station, and further legal action was taken against him, he added.

The first consignment of 18 modern broad-gauge railway coaches, supplied under an agreement between Bangladesh Railway and India’s Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES), is scheduled to enter Bangladesh from India through Darshana International Railway Station in Chuadanga on Friday afternoon. The coaches are expected to reach the Darshana border around 1:30pm before being transported to the Saidpur Railway Workshop after customs formalities are completed. Mamunur Rashid, station manager of Darshana International Railway Station, said the coaches were manufactured in Punjab's Kapurthala and began their journey to Bangladesh on October 12. The coaches are currently stationed at Ranaghat Junction Railway Station in West Bengal. After completing the necessary formalities at Gede in India, the coaches will enter Bangladesh through the Joynagar border point in Darshana, he said. The consignment comprises 18 coaches, including three air-conditioned sleeper coaches, three air-conditioned chair cars, 11 non-air-conditioned chair cars and one power car. Upon arrival at the Saidpur Railway Workshop, the coaches will undergo necessary inspections and technical assessments, Mamunur Rashid said, adding that preparations will then be made to integrate them into passenger train services.