United News of Bangladesh

Election Commissioner Brigadier General (retd) Abul Fazal Md Sanaullah on Wednesday said there is no need to deploy the Army for the by-election to the Thakurgaon-1 constituency slated for October 29. “Three times as many law enforcement personnel as those deployed during the parliamentary election in a seat have been assigned here. The election atmosphere has also remained favourable so far,” he said. Sanaullah came up with the remarks while talking to reporters after a meeting with law enforcement agencies, vigilance and observation teams, and other relevant officials at the conference room of the deputy commissioner's office. He said adequate law enforcement personnel will be deployed at polling centres and CCTV cameras would be installed, making Army deployment unnecessary for the by-election. The election commissioner also directed the relevant officials and law enforcement agencies to remain prepared to ensure a free, fair and impartial election. The meeting emphasised maintaining normal law and order, ensuring compliance with the electoral code of conduct, and creating a peaceful environment so that voters can cast their ballots without hindrance. Senior Secretary of the Election Commission Akhtar Ahmed attended the meeting as a special guest, while Thakurgaon Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Rafiqul Huq chaired it. The meeting also discussed the overall law-and-order situation surrounding the by-election, maintaining a favourable electoral environment and strengthening coordination among the relevant agencies.

BNP acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Wednesday alleged that the associates of the fallen fascist regime are trying to create instability across the country to put the government in an awkward situation. He made the allegation while speaking at a programme in Gazirtek of Charbhadrasan upazila, where he handed over the keys to a newly built house for the family of Lokai Biswas on behalf of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. The programme, organised under the supervision of “Amra BNP Poribar”, also featured the distribution of medical assistance and cash aid to disadvantaged families, along with sewing machines to support women’s employment. “Leaders of the former fascist regime looted the country’s banks, siphoned off wealth abroad and are now living lavishly while conspiring against the country from overseas,” Rizvi said. He also said the harassment of former interim government Chief Adviser and Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus in a New York airport tarnished Bangladesh’s international image. Referring to recent fuel price adjustments, the BNP leader said the government was forced to adjust domestic fuel prices amid increases in global oil prices linked to the war. He urged BNP leaders and activists at all levels to remain united. The programme was presided over by Faridpur-4 MP Md Shohidul Islam, while Faridpur-3 MP Chowdhury Nayab Yusuf Ahmed attended as a special guest. Among others, district BNP Convener Advocate Modares Ali Isa, Member Secretary AK Kibria Swapan, Bhanga Upazila BNP Convener Khandaker Selim, Krishak Dal leader Khandaker Nasirul Islam and Jubo Dal leader Rajib Hossain attended the event.  

Local residents seized two vehicles carrying 120 sacks of diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser in Naogaon while being smuggled to another district on Tuesday night. The incident took place on the Dubalhati-Hapania road around 10:00pm. According to locals, 120 sacks of DAP fertiliser were loaded onto two vehicles from the warehouse of M/S Molla Traders, owned by Wasef Ali Molla at Dubalhati in Sadar upazila. The vehicles were heading to Rajshahi when locals stopped them on the Hapania road after becoming suspicious. The drivers later admitted their destination. The dealer’s manager, Mamun, faced angry locals before leaving the scene as police and administration officials were expected. He claimed he had issued the sale memos and released the vehicles on the owner's instructions but did not know who bought the fertiliser or its destination. Naogaon Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Nurul Amin said a mobile court operation was conducted at night with the agriculture officer and police following information from local residents. A total of 120 sacks of DAP fertiliser – 60 from each vehicle – were seized during the operation, he said. As the dealer or his representative was not present, the seized fertiliser was kept in the custody of the Dubalhati Union Parishad office following legal procedures, the UNO added.

Export and import activities between Bangladesh and India through Sonamasjid Land Port in Chapainawabganj will remain suspended for seven days from October 17 on the occasion of Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of the Hindu community. However, the movement of Bangladeshi and Indian passport holders through the immigration checkpoint will remain normal during the period, said Ruhul Amin, member secretary of the Sonamasjid Land Port C&F Agents Association. The suspension will remain in effect from October 17 to 23 due to government and weekly holidays in Bangladesh, as well as holidays observed by the Mahadipur Land Port Exporters’ Association in India on the occasion of Durga Puja. However, the loading and unloading of imported goods already stored inside the port will continue during the closure. Passenger movement through the immigration checkpoint will also remain unaffected, he added. Import and export activities through the land port are scheduled to resume as usual on the morning of October 24.

A 22-year-old man has been killed, and his father injured in an alleged attack over a land dispute in Kendua upazila of Netrokona. The deceased was identified as Abir, son of Md Enamul Mia, 45, of Puranbari village in the upazila. Local sources said Enamul had been locked in a dispute with local BNP leader Bakul Mia and his associates over 10 decimals of agricultural land in the village. They alleged that Bakul’s associates, after being equipped with sharp weapons, swooped on Enamul’s house around 2:00pm on Tuesday, leaving the father-son duo injured. Locals rescued the injured and took them to Kendua Upazila Health Complex, where doctors provided initial treatment before referring them to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital. Abir succumbed to his injuries around 8:00pm while undergoing treatment at the hospital, the sources said.

Two workers were killed and seven others injured after the roof shuttering of an under-construction municipal building collapsed in Pirganj upazila of Rangpur on Tuesday afternoon. The deceased were identified as Asadul Haque, a resident of Sadullapur upazila in Gaibandha, and Shihab from Rangpur. The accident occurred at the under-construction building of Pirganj Municipality in Arajigangarampur area of the upazila. Contractors from Vision 2020 were reportedly carrying out the construction work. Locals said 13 workers had been working on the roof of the building since morning when the shuttering suddenly collapsed, trapping four workers under the debris. A team from Pirganj Fire Service rushed to the scene and rescued the trapped workers, who were taken to the hospital in critical condition. Later, doctors on duty declared Asadul and Shihab dead. Local residents also rescued five injured workers and took them to Pirganj Upazila Health Complex. Three of the injured were identified as Liton Mandal, Salim Mia and Babla Mia. The identities of the other injured workers were not immediately known. Pirganj Fire Service Station Officer Nazmul Sarkar said two of the injured are receiving treatment in critical condition.   Rangpur-6 lawmaker Nurul Amin visited the scene and demanded that those responsible for any negligence be brought to justice.

Two sisters died after being electrocuted at their home in Katlamari village under Dakatia union of Bhaluka upazila in Mymensingh on Tuesday evening. The deceased were identified as Fatema Akter, 7, and Nahida Akter, 3, daughters of Shahabuddin of the village. Bhaluka Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Jahidul Islam said Shahabuddin recently built a new room at his house and connected electricity to it from the old house. A leakage in the electrical wiring caused the steel door of the new room to become electrified. The two sisters were electrocuted when they opened the door to go outside in the evening and died on the spot. Police visited the scene and prepared an inquest report. The OC said the bodies were handed over to the family for burial without autopsies following a request from the family.

A court in Netrokona has sentenced a woman to one year’s rigorous imprisonment for filing a false rape case that led to the incarceration of a man for about two months. The convict, Lipi Akter, 39, was also fined Tk 5,000, with an additional three months in jail in default of payment, said Public Prosecutor Advocate Nurul Kabir Rubel. Judge AKM Emdadul Haque of the Netrokona Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal delivered the verdict on Tuesday afternoon in the presence of Lipi Akter. According to court records, Lipi, a resident of Bikramshri village in Barhatta upazila, filed a rape case against Kamal Uddin, a resident of the same village, in 2008, claiming that she was eight months pregnant. Police subsequently arrested Kamal, who remained in jail for about two months. After Lipi gave birth to a child, police conducted a DNA test to establish the child's paternity. The test results showed that Kamal was not the child's biological father. Following a lengthy legal process, the court acquitted Kamal of the rape charge in 2019.

Actor Somu Chowdhury was injured after allegedly being beaten by staff of a motorcycle garage over garbage disposal and cleanliness in the Bejpara Naldanga area of Jashore city on Tuesday. Locals said an argument broke out at 12:30pm between the actor and employees of the garage over garbage disposal and maintaining cleanliness near the garage in front of his house. At one stage, two men, identified as Jahangir, 36, and Hridoy, 32, allegedly struck him with sticks, leaving him head injuries. Family members later rescued him and took him to the emergency department of Jashore General Hospital. After receiving treatment, Somu Chowdhury returned home around 1:20pm. Kabir Hossain, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Jashore Kotwali Model Police Station, said police visited the scene after being informed of the attack. A case will be filed in connection with the incident, he said, adding that those allegedly involved had been identified. The suspects would be arrested soon, he said.

A couple was killed after an unidentified vehicle ran them over while they were walking along the Dhaka-Chattogram highway in Daudkandi upazila of Cumilla early Tuesday. The deceased were identified as Nazrul Islam, 62,from Jinglatali village in the upazila, and his wife Jharna Begum, 48. According to locals, the couple had left their home in Jinglatali village after offering Fazr prayers and were walking along one side of the highway for their morning walk when an unidentified vehicle hit them around 7am near Haripur Mosque  and fled. About an hour later, other pedestrians spotted them and took them to Gouripur Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared them dead. Their bodies were later handed over to their family members. Officer-in-Charge of Daudkandi Highway Police Station Officer-in-Charge Prem Lal Das said police would examine CCTV footage along the highway to see whether the vehicle involved could be identified.