United News of Bangladesh

Two siblings have allegedly been beaten by students of Kushtia Medical College over Facebook posts protesting a patient’s death at hospital. The incident took place at Kushtia Medical College Hospital on Saturday evening, when a mobile phone and a motorcycle were allegedly taken away from the victims. The victims were identified as Sohag and Sohel, sons of Rahmat Ali of the Harishankarpur area of Kushtia town. Family sources said Sohel’s son had been receiving treatment for about a week at the hospital for pneumonia. They alleged that 25-30 medical college students beat Sohel, leaving him seriously injured. When his younger brother Sohag tried to intervene, they also assaulted him. One of the injured was sent to Rajshahi for advanced treatment, while his family removed the baby receiving treatment at the hospital due to security concerns. They also alleged that the students took Sohag’s mobile phone and motorcycle. The phone was later recovered with police intervention, but the motorcycle remained missing, according to the family. Family members said the incident was linked to Facebook posts made by the two brothers protesting a previous incident at the hospital on September 25. They alleged that a patient who had suffered a heart attack died at the hospital around 11:00pm that day, triggering a scuffle and clash between doctors and the patient’s relatives. According to the family, medical students detained three people, including the deceased’s son, and handed them over to police. Police later sent the detainees to court. Sohag and Sohel subsequently posted on Facebook protesting the incident. The family alleged that when the brothers entered the hospital on Saturday evening, a group of students shouted “brokers” at them and attacked them over the posts. After the alleged assault, Sohag called the national emergency service at 999 seeking police assistance. Officer-in-Charge of Kushtia Model Police Station Zakir Hossain said police went to the scene and brought the situation under control around 10:30pm.

A man was killed in a lynch-mob attack over an alleged theft of an engine-powered vehicle, locally known as a Nasimon, in Chandutia village of Jashore Sadar upazila early Sunday. The deceased was identified as Mizanur Rahman, hailed from Ramkrishnapur village in Jhikargachha upazila. Another man, Billal Hossain, went missing after jumping into a canal, while a third person, Moniruzzaman, was seriously injured in the incident. Police said Moniruzzaman, Mizanur and Billal tried to flee after stealing a Nasimon from Chandutia village around 3.00am. Local people chased them as they attempted to escape towards the Chandutia sluice canal. At one stage, Billal jumped into the canal but locals caught Moniruzzaman and Mizanur and beat them up. Police later rescued the two and took them to a hospital where the attending doctor declared Mizanur dead. Moniruzzaman is undergoing treatment at Jashore General Hospital. Billal has remained missing since jumping into the canal. Fire Service personnel are searching the canal to locate him. Officer-in-Charge of Jashore Kotwali Model Police Station Kabir Hossain said it was not yet clear whether Billal  managed to escape elsewhere, adding that the search is continuing. Legal action in connection with the incident is underway, the OC added.

The body of Mahfuzul Haider Chowdhury Roton, former general secretary of banned Chhatra League’s central committee, was handed over to his family through Benapole checkpost on Sunday under tight security. His body arrived at the checkpost from Kolkata, India, around 11am. After completing immigration and customs formalities, his elder brother, Nasimul Haider Chowdhury Milton, received the body. Senior police officials, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and the administration were present during the handover. Security was tightened at Benapole checkpost and along the border from the morning to prevent any untoward incident. Benapole Immigration Police Officer-in-Charge Saifur Rahman said Roton had been suffering from lung cancer for a long time. As his condition deteriorated recently he was admitted to Ruby General Hospital in Kolkata, where he died on Saturday. Roton entered India through Haridaspur land port in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district on August 19, 2024 and had been staying in Kolkata for treatment. Roton served as general secretary of the central executive committee of banned Bangladesh Chhatra League from 2006 to 2011.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has foiled an attempt by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) to push four individuals, including two men and two women, into Bangladesh along the Kushtia border. The incident occurred around 7:45am on Sunday in the area under Thotarpara Border Outpost (BOP) of Kushtia Battalion (47 BGB), according to a press release. The BSF’s Uday Kishan camp under its 146 Battalion attempted to push the four into Bangladesh through border pillar No. 153/9-S, the release said. However, the attempt was thwarted due to BGB’s alertness, immediate preventive measures and effective response. Facing BGB’s firm position, the BSF was forced to take the four people back into Indian territory around 8am, the release added. Kushtia Battalion Commander Lt Col Rashed Kamal Roni said BGB remains vigilant and prepared to prevent any illegal infiltration.

At least 28 people, including children, were injured after a stray dog attacked residents in three villages of Mithapukur upazila on Saturday night. The incident occurred in the Sathibari, Rampura and Shitalgari villages, starting at 6:00pm. According to locals, the dog attacked people as it moved through the three areas for around three hours, leaving 28 people injured. The injured received primary treatment and anti-rabies vaccination at the Mithapukur Upazila Health Complex, said its Resident Medical Officer (RMO) Dr Mizanur Rahman. Four of the injured – Hashem Mia, Zelekha Begum, Selina Khatun and Shapla Begum – were admitted to the health complex, he said, adding that another victim, who was seriously injured, was referred to Rangpur Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment.

Several people were injured in a clash between local activists of the Awami League and BNP over control of soil supply to brick kilns in Fatullah upazila of Narayanganj on Saturday afternoon. One of the injured, who sustained a bullet wound, was identified as Hridoy, 30, son of Samed Ali of the area. The clash took place in the Char Baktaboli area under Baktaboli Union between supporters of Halim Azad, organisational secretary of the union BNP, and those of Samed Ali, an associate of Shawkat Ali, general secretary of Fatullah thana Awami League. According to locals, Samed Ali previously controlled soil supply to 20-25 brick kilns in the Akbarnagar area with the backing of AL leader Shawkat Ali. Following the July uprising, Shawkat went into hiding, while Samed Ali allegedly aligned himself with local BNP leaders to maintain his control over the business. Tensions escalated after Samed Ali recently supplied soil to brick kilns using the name of Baktaboli Union BNP President Nazarul Pradhan. When Halim Azad challenged the matter and Nazarul remained silent, supporters of the rival groups locked into a clash. Fatullah thana BNP President Shahidul Islam Titu said organisational action would be taken against anyone if the allegations were proven. Mahbub Alam, officer-in-charge of Fatullah Model Police Station, said additional police forces had been deployed to bring the situation under control. Police are investigating the incident.

A Bangladeshi youth was reportedly injured in firing by India's Border Security Force (BSF) along the Maheshpur border in Jhenaidah on Saturday. The injured is Ujjal Hossain, 30, son of Harun-or-Rashid of Mailbaria Paschimpara village under Nepa Union in Maheshpur upazila. According to locals and border sources, Ujjal was allegedly attempting to cross into India illegally around noon when patrolling BSF personnel from the Pakhuria camp under Hanskhali police station in India's Nadia district opened fire at him. He sustained a bullet injury, reportedly from a rubber bullet, and was quickly rescued by relatives and associates, who took him away from the border area for secret treatment, the sources said. BGB-58 Battalion (Maheshpur) Deputy Commander Munshi Imdadur Rahman said a special BGB patrol team was sent to Ujjal's house to investigate, but family members denied that any firing had taken place. BGB surveillance and inquiries were continuing to establish what had happened along the border and whether anyone had been injured, he added.

Fifteen members of two notorious pirate gangs operating in the Sundarban surrendered to the Special Response Battalion (SRB) on Friday evening. The surrender took place when eight members of the Abdullah group, a faction of the Alif gang, and seven members of the Majid group surrendered to SRB-6, the SRB Media Cell said on Saturday. An official from the SRB-6 Media Cell said a drive is currently underway in the Sundarbans to recover firearms and ammunition used by the surrendered pirates. Necessary legal procedures will be taken against the surrenderers before producing them in court in accordance with prevailing laws. SRB authorities expressed optimism that the surrender will play a crucial role in maintaining security and stability in the Sundarbans, while ensuring a safer environment for fishermen, woodcutters (bawalis), honey collectors (mowals), and other forest-dependent communities. SRB-6 said keeping the Sundarbans free from piracy and forest bandits, alongside protecting the lives and livelihoods of forest-dependent populations, remains a top priority, adding that operational drives and intelligence surveillance will continue to prevent piracy, abduction, and extortion.

A teenage schoolboy was killed and his friend was slightly injured on Saturday morning when the motorcycle he was riding lost control and crashed into a roadside tree in Lohagara upazila of Narail.   The accident occurred around 9:00am at a bend east of Brahmanbanga Government Primary School along the Noldi-Lohagara regional road. The deceased was identified as Jobayer Molla, 14, a ninth-grade student of Chalitatala Sammilani Secondary School and son of Hafizur Molla of Brahmanbanga village under Noagram union. His pillion rider, Azizur, son of Azmul of the same village, sustained minor injuries. According to locals and family members, Jobayer borrowed a motorcycle from his classmate Rizvi, to travel from Brahmanbanga market toward Noldi. On his way back, Jobayer lost control of the vehicle, crashing into a roadside tree. Jobayer was rushed to Narail District Hospital in critical condition, where emergency department duty doctor Shamim Akter declared him dead on arrival. Shariful Islam, Lohagara Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC), said police were dispatched to the scene and the body was released to the family for burial following required legal procedures.

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo on Saturday said the government would soon initiate talks with India under an existing protocol to establish a cross-border corridor for wild elephants roaming the Garo Hills in Sherpur. Around 130 to 135 wild elephants that came from India's Meghalaya have become stranded in the Garo Hills of Sherpur as border fencing has prevented them from returning to their habitat, he said. The minister said the government would request the Indian authorities to open gates in the fencing to allow the elephants to return, although previous requests had not received a positive response. At the same time, initiatives would be taken to develop forest areas in Sherpur into safe habitats for the elephants, he added.