United News of Bangladesh

Two people were killed and two others injured when a microbus hit a CNG-run auto-rickshaw on Anwara-Banshkhali PBA road at Mazar Gate in Anwara upazila of Chattogram district on Saturday. One of the deceased was identified as Md Yeasin, 43, son of Golam Shafi while the identity of another could not be known immediately. The Banshkhali-bound microbus rammed into the CNG-run-auto-rickshaw in the morning, leaving two passengers of the auto-rickshaw dead on the spot and two others injured, said Manir Hossain, officer-in-charge of Anwara Police Station. The injured were taken to a local hospital where the doctors referred them to Chattogram Medical College and Hospital.    

Tensions flared along the Kochakata border in Kurigram on Friday night after India’s Border Security Force (BSF) allegedly attempted to push a group of people into Bangladeshi territory, BGB officials said. They said members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and local residents foiled the attempt. Local sources said the incident occurred at the Shovarkuti and Shiperhat border points in Kedar Union under the Kochakata border area. Several hundred villagers formed a human barricade stretching nearly one kilometre along the border and kept vigil throughout the night to prevent any illegal entry. According to witnesses, at around 7pm, BSF personnel from Golakganj Police Station in Assam’s Dhubri district gathered 50 to 60 people at a school near the Indian border village of Faiskarkuti, adjacent to Bangladesh. BGB detains 6 push-ins from Lalmonirhat; claims they're Indians With all lights in the area turned off, BSF allegedly tried to push the group across the border under cover of darkness. Local villagers quickly mobilised and took positions along the border. Shortly afterwards, multiple teams from the Kochakata and Kedar camps of BGB-22, supported by Ansar and VDP personnel, arrived to reinforce security and block any illegal infiltration. BSF troops positioned themselves on the Indian side of the border and by around 2am advanced to the zero line. Sources reported that BSF attempted to initiate dialogue with BGB several times, but BGB personnel did not respond. BSF 'push-ins' continue: 14 more sent through Matiranga border By 3am, BSF troops withdrew from the zero line. Lieutenant Colonel Mahbub Ul Haque, Commanding Officer of BGB-22, said, “BGB, along with Ansar forces and local residents, jointly maintained strict vigilance to prevent any illegal push-in attempts by BSF. We have intensified border patrols.” Authorities have maintained heightened security measures in the area since the incident.  

A concrete bridge over the Rojotrekha canal in Sadar upazila collapsed on Friday afternoon, snapping road  links with Khaskandi and Nolbuniyakandi villages  and causing suffering to several thousand residents. The bridge collapsed around 3pm in Khaskandi area of Char Kishore Union  of Sadar upazila amid heavy downpour triggered by depression in the Bay. According to locals, the bridge located beside the Khaskandi graveyard was built a few years ago over the Rojotrekha canal. It served as a vital connection for around 2,000 to 2,500 people from Khaskandi and Nolbuniyakandi areas who regularly used it for daily travel. Recent heavy rains and soil erosion around the approach road weakened the structure, said locals. As the soil under the northern approach road gave way, the bridge collapsed, severing the only direct road link between the two villages. Officials say at least 2 people are dead and 8 are missing after stone quarry collapse in Indonesia Munshiganj Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Mahbubur Rahman said, “We are gathering information. discussions are underway to restore communication as soon as possible.” Locals have urged authorities to take immediate steps to repair the bridge and ease their suffering.  

Mother fish of different species have released eggs at several places in the Halda River, the only natural fish spawning centre in country. Around 2am on Thursday night, the first batch of eggs was released at Amtua Point, which soon spread in different parts of the river, kicking off the seasonal egg collection. As the news spread, hundreds of fishermen from riverbank communities rushed out with boats and nets at night, turning the riverside into a scene of festivity despite inclement weather. Locals said that amid heavy rain and inclement weather, the egg collection continued in full swing from early hours of Friday till noon.  The spawning began at Amtua with mother fish of the carp specie and the eggs then dispersed downstream. Dr. Shafiqul Islam, a researcher on the Halda River, said that each egg collector has, on average, received three to four buckets of eggs.  “Collectors are highly enthusiastic,” he said, adding that it will take some time to estimate the total volume of eggs delivered to hatcheries. The Halda River’s unique natural ecosystem allows carp species to breed only under specific conditions—typically between April and June, on nights of the full or new moon, during heavy rain and mountain runoff. These fertilized eggs are later taken to hatcheries for preservation and the production of juvenile fish, he said. Due to the combination of a full moon and torrential rainfall and upstream water flow created the perfect conditions for egg-laying.  

Amid continuous light to moderate rainfall triggered by a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal since Thursday, authorities in Rangamati have issued an alert over the potential risk of landslides across the hill district. In response to the growing concerns, the district and upazila administrations have imposed restrictions on boat movement in the Kaptai Lake and other internal waterways as a precautionary measure to avoid possible disasters. Rangamati Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md Habib Ullah said that lessons have been learned from the devastating 2017 landslides, and the administration has taken comprehensive preparation to tackle any possible disaster. “A total of 31 vulnerable sites have been identified in the district, where around 5,000 families and about 20,000 individuals are currently living at risk of landslides.” The alert has been issued in all 10 upazilas of the district—Rangamati Sadar, Kaptai, Kawkhali, Naniarchar, Baghaichhari, Jurachhari, Barkal, Bilaichhari, Rajsthali, and Longadu, based on past experiences and casualties from previous landslides. Besides, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has suspended all types of vessel operations in the district's waterways until further notice to ensure public safety. Moin Uddin Selim, president of the Rangamati Launch Owners' Association, said that boat movement, including launches, connecting Rangamati with Baghaichhari, Longadu, Barkal, Jurachhari, Bilaichhari, and Naniarchar has been halted following the district administration's directives due to rough conditions on Kaptai Lake and cautionary signals at the river port. “Vessel operations will resume once weather conditions improve and fresh instructions are issued by the authorities,” he added. Earlier on Thursday Rangamati DC Md Habib Ullah visited several vulnerable areas, including Vedvedi, Shimultali, Lokath Mandir, and the BADC area. During his visit, he urged residents living at the base of hills to relocate to safer locations. He added that temporary shelters have been prepared in each area, and local public representatives and volunteers have been instructed to assist people in relocating if necessary. “Although shelters are ready, many at-risk residents are still reluctant to move,” the DC noted.

The body of a 10-year-old boy was recovered on Friday from under a sand pile at a newly constructed embankment in Bhola’s island upazila Monpura, a day after he had gone missing. The deceased, Omar, was the son of fisherman Monir and a resident of Ward-1 in Monpura union. Monpura Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Ahsan Kabir said the child had gone missing on Thursday while his parents were not at home. “Locals found the body buried under a sand pile used in the embankment construction,” the OC said. Quoting locals, police and witnesses said the boy went missing from the Ramnewaz Fish Landing Station area in the evening on Thursday. The family began searching for him but failed to locate his whereabouts. Around 5:30pm on Friday, a woman working at the embankment site noticed a child's foot sticking out from under the sand. She screamed for help, prompting local traders and residents to rush to the spot and recover the body. 2 go missing amid inclement weather in Khagrachari rivers Locals suspect the boy might have fallen under the sand during Thursday night’s storm while on his way home, leading to his death. The OC said that the body has been handed over to the family.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel and local residents on Thursday night forced Indian Border Security Force (BSF)to abandon an attempt to excavate a canal alongside the Parshuram embankment in Feni’s Mirzanagar union. Lt Col Mosharraf Hossain, commanding officer of the BGB’s Feni Battalion, said that BSF had brought excavators and other machinery to the embankment at around 11pm Thursday. “To remove the water accumulated due to the dam on the Bangladesh side, they have made a thick drain on the Indian side. We protested against it as it falls within 150 yards from the zero line on the Indian side.” This BGB commanding officer said that any construction in the no-man’s-land between the two countries is prohibited under bilateral law. “Because their proposed excavation site lay within no-man’s-land, we halted their work immediately.” 2 go missing amid inclement weather in Khagrachari rivers Local resident Mamataj Mia (60) of Purbo Rangamatia village said that the BSF team arrived amid heavy rain and storm, attempting to dig some 20–30 yards inside the border pillar. “We joined the BGB on site and prevented them from proceeding. They withdrew soon after,” he said. Another villager, MA Hasan, mentioned that the BSF intended not to breach the embankment itself but to reopen a previously dug canal segment. “As about 20 feet of that segment lay in no-man’s-land, the BGB intervened and stopped them,” he said. Parshuram Upazila Nirbahi Officer Arifur Rahman warned that any unilateral alteration of the border watercourses would not be tolerated. “They tried to cut the ridge and release water into Bangladesh for their advantage. BGB and local people resisted successfully. We remain vigilant and will not allow such actions.” Lt Col Mosharraf Hossain said that the matter would be discussed at BGB–BSF bilateral meeting.

Two people went missing after being swept away by strong currents in rivers in Dighinala and Lakshmichhari upazilas of Khagrachari, amid days of heavy rainfall that has also triggered landslides in the hilly district. Khagrachhari Superintendent of Police (SP) Md Arefin Jewel said that around 9am on Friday, a youth named Ukraching Marma, 19, was swept away while fishing in the Lakshmichhari canal near Bijoy Karbari Para under Lakshmichhari union. In a separate incident, Tarti Chakma, 55, was carried away by the strong current of the Maini River while collecting wood in Dighinala upazila. Local fire service personnel have launched search and rescue operations to trace the missing individuals. Bandarban gets ready to tackle rain-spawned disasters Meanwhile, continuous downpours have triggered landslides in several parts of Khagrachari. To prevent casualties, the administration has started relocating residents living at the base of hills to safer locations.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) detained six Indian nationals at the Burimari Railway Station in Patgram upazila of Lalmonirhat on Friday afternoon. Patgram Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mizanur Rahman said all the detainees are residents of Assam, India. The BGB has called for a flag meeting with the Indian authorities in this regard. The six individuals are currently in BGB custody, he added. According to locals, the six individuals were seen moving suspiciously around the Burimari Railway Station around noon. Acting on information, members of the Burimari Border Outpost (BOP) under the 61 Tista-2 Battalion of BGB detained them. BGB sources said the group includes two women and that all of them are from Assam’s Golaghat and Darrang districts. 22 more pushed in by BSF through Habiganj They were allegedly pushed into Bangladesh through the Doikhawa border in Hatibandha upazila by 78 Battalion of India’s Border Security Force (BSF) on May 25, according to BGB. Since May 7, the BSF has illegally pushed almost a thousand individuals into Bangladesh - not all of them Bangladeshis -through various points of the border, disregarding due process.

Indian Border Security Force (BSF) pushed in 22 more people through the Rema border of Chunarughat upazila in Habiganj. They were pushed in during the night through a place called Debrabari of Rema BOP under Habiganj Battalion (55 BGB). The group comprised 9 men, 8 women and 5 children.  BSF pushes 19 people into Bangladesh: BGB On information, a BGB patrol team from Kalenga BOP of the upazila quickly reached the spot and arrested them. Preliminary investigation revealed that they were all Bangladeshi citizens and residents of Kurigram district. Kalenga BOP Commander Naik Subedar Syed Jasim Uddin confirmed this. The arrested persons are Johar Ali (80), Md. Arif (19), Md. Asadul (30), Achia Begum (60), Ashraful (35), Jahanara (30), Kakoli (10), Mocha Ashrafi (35), Aminul Islam (35), Mocha Afroza (24) of Ulipur upazila, Abdul Hamid (42), Rehena Begum (40), Sujan (22), Hasi Khatun (18), Parveen (21), Md. Shahinur (03), Hasanur (7), Nazrul Islam (50), Fatema Begum (47), Imran Hossain (20), Sabina (23) and Ismail Hossain (02) of Fulbari upazila.  BSF 'push-ins' continue: 14 more sent through Matiranga border Earlier the BSF pushed in another 19 people in the Kalenga border outpost area in the early hours of May 26.