United News of Bangladesh

The authorities have relieved three presiding officers of their duties in Dinajpur-1 (Birganj and Kaharole) constituency on allegations of campaigning in favor of the ruling party candidate. The relieved presiding officers are Rafiqul Islam, lecturer of Birganj Women's Degree College, Gauranga Pal, lecturer of Jharbari Degree College and Liaquat Ali, principal of Birganj TBM College. According to the complaint, they were seen campaigning in different places for the ‘boat symbol’ despite being in charge as Presiding Officer which is a complete violation of the electoral code of conduct. Fazle Elahi, assistant returning officer and upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Birganj, confirmed the development on Saturday. The UNO said that in order to ensure a free and fair environment, those 3 presiding officers have been relieved from their duties. "We have already replaced three other officers with these posts", added the UNO.

A fire broke out at a Buddhist monastery named ‘Usaichen Buddhist Vihara (Bara Kang)’ in Ramu Sadar of Cox’s Bazar early Saturday. However, there was no major damage as local people and fire service immediately brought the fire under control. The incident took place at Cheranghata area of Ramu upazila, Ramu Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abu Taher Dewan confirmed the matter. Following the incident, a team of police has been stationed at the site. On Saturday morning, administrative officials, along with the police, conducted an inspection of the incident site. Abu Taher Dewan stated, “On Friday night, the Usaichen Buddhist Monastery made of century-old wooden structures, housing priests and others from the Rakhine community in the Cheranghata area of Ramu Sadar, caught fire suddenly around 2 am. “When those inside the monastery started shouting, local residents rushed forward to extinguish the fire. Subsequently, upon receiving the news, the Ramu Fire Service personnel brought the fire under control. A wooden structure inside the Buddhist monastery has been damaged due to the fire, but major losses were averted as the fire was swiftly controlled.” The OC further mentioned, “The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, and it is uncertain whether it was an accidental incident or an act of sabotage. Police have been conducting an investigation. Footage from all surrounding CCTV cameras, including those at the Buddhist monastery, is being collected for further analysis.”   End/UNB/Corr/MB/KW

Police in a drive recovered a “time-bomb” like object from a Cox’s Bazar-bound bus on Dhaka-Chattogram highway at Mouchak in Siddhirganj upazila of Narayanganj district early Saturday. Md Hasan, supervisor of the bus, said a passenger boarded the bus from Dhaka’s Gabtoli area and some boarded at Sayedabad. When the bus reached Jatrabari’s Hanif Flyover, they found one passenger missing from the bus and recovered a time bomb like object from the bag of the passenger at 10:30 pm. They informed the matter to police through calling the emergency no 999. 3 arrested along with 30 crude bombs, 28 petrol bombs in Dhaka: RAB Abu Bakar Siddique, officer-in-charge of Siddhirganj Police Station, said a bomb disposal unit from the Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit (CTTC) members rushed to the spot and defused it. Golam Mostafa, superintendent of Narayanganj Police, said a timer was set on the bomb and the passengers were safe due to the prompt action of the authorities concerned. 10 crude bombs recovered from Benapole  

Three suspected cattle lifters were killed in a lynch-mob attack  in Bhangura upazila of Pabna district on Saturday morning.  Police said a gang of suspected thieves lifted two cows from the house of Golap Hossain at Mirzapur village in Chatmohar upazila and tried to flee with the cows through the Gumani River in a boat. Derailment halts train movement on Pabna-Ishwardi route At one stage, local people chased the thieves and beat them up mercielessly at Betuan Ghat in Bhangura, leaving them dead. Three local youths were injured in attack by the thieves and were admitted to Bhangura Upazila Health Complex. Miscreants set fire to train in Pabna Bhangura Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Nazmul Haque said  two sharp weapons were recovered from the spot. The bodies of the deceased were recovered but their identities could not be ascertained yet, he said adding that the bodies were sent to Pabna General Hospital morgue for autopsy. Pabna road accident leaves 2 dead

Miscreants set fire to a truck carrying cement in the Nalka Overbridge area of Salanga in Sirajganj, situated along the western highway of the Bangabandhu Bridge, early Saturday.Salanga Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Anamul Haque confirmed the matter. Timing of train burning just a day before election shows an absolute intention to hinder democratic process: Foreign MinisterThe incident occurred when the truck, en route from Narayanganj to Bogura with cement, experienced engine trouble on the western side of the Nalka Overbridge around 1:30 am on Saturday. The driver had stopped the truck to address the engine issues, said the OC. Habiganj polling center burntAt that moment, around five to six masked individuals approached the truck and set fire to the vehicle, forcing the driver and helper to flee for their lives. Although the driver and helper quickly attempted to extinguish the flames using sand, the fire engulfed the truck, he said.Being informed, police went to the sport and took the truck for further investigation. The police are working to apprehend those responsible for the incident, said the OC.

Miscreants set fire to Dhalaipar Government Primary School, a polling center at Chandona village of Chunarughat upazila in Habiganj district, on Friday night. Md Manikuzzaman, in-charge of Chunarughat Fire Station, said miscreants set the school on fire around 12 am, which was likely to be used as a polling station in the upazila under Habiganj-4 constituency. Read: Gopibag train arson: seven-member probe committee formed   On information, a firefighting unit rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze. Three rooms, benches, desks, chairs, tables, doors, and the tin roof were gutted in the fire. Hillol Roy, officer-in-charge of Chunarughat Police Station, said police are trying to identify the arsonists. Primarily, it is suspected that the extent of the damage caused by the fire is Tk 6 lakh.

A truck driver and his helper died in a head-on collision between two trucks in  Baraigram upazila of Natore district on Saturday. Natore-4: Independent candidate’s election camp set on fire According to highway police, a Natore-bound truck from Kushtia collided head-on with a truck near Karbala Bridge on Natore-Banpara highway in the morning, leaving driver Shahinur Rahman, 28, and helper Jasim Uddin, 22, both residents of Shailkupa in Jhenaidah district, dead on the spot. Van drivers block road for ‘not getting money’ from Natore-4 AL candidate after campaign Later they were taken to a clinic in Banpara where doctors declared both of them dead. Masud Rana, officer-in-charge of Jhalmalia Police Station , said the bodies were handed over to their respective families. Leaflet distribution: Police, AL men clash with BNP activists in Natore, 7 hurt

At least nine polling stations were set on fire by unidentified arsonists in Chattogram, Gazipur, Mymensingh, Sherpur and Habiganj districts ahead of the Sunday’s national election. Of the total, three polling stations were set on fire in Chattogram, two each in Mymensingh and Gazipur districts, one each in Sherpur and Habiganj districts. In Mymensingh, miscreants set fire to two polling stations in Nandail and Gafargaon upazilas of the district early Saturday. Deputy Commissioner of Mymensingh district and returning officer Dider-e-Alam Mohammad Maksud Chowdhury said unidentified miscreants et fire on Haripur Government Primary School in Nandail and Parshipara Government Primary School in Gafargaon upazila of the district early Saturday. On information, firefighting units rushed to the spots and extinguished the fire. Masum Ahmed Bhuiya, superintendent of Mymensingh Police, said five people were arrested in this connection and legal action will be taken after investigation. In Sherpur, a fire broke out at the store room of Mirzapur Government Primary School at Bajitkhila in Sadar upazila of the district early Saturday. Some benches were gutted in the fire, said Jabed Hossain Muhammad Tarek, deputy assistant director of Fire Service and Civil Defence. Whether it is an act of sabotage or not will be investigated, said Emdadul Haque, officer-in-charge of Sherpur Police Station. In Gazipur, two polling centers were set on fire by unidentified arsonists in different parts of the district early Saturday. Kaliakair Upazila Nirbahi Officer and assistant returning officer Hossain Mohammad Hye said miscreants set fire to the office room of Bashtoli Government Primary School in Kaliakair upazila early in the morning. Meanwhile, a group of miscreants set fire to East Chandana Government Primary School in the Bason area of Gazipur city around 1:30 am. On information, a firefighting unit rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze. Miscreants also set fire to TNT Ideal High School at Telipara in the city early Saturday. But it was not a polling centre, said Abdullah Al Arefin, deputy assistant director of Gazipur Fire Service and Civil Defence. In Habiganj, miscreants set fire to Dolairpar Government Primary School, a polling center at Chandona village of Chunarughat upazila in Habiganj district, on Friday night. Md Manikuzzaman, in-charge of Chunarughat Fire Station, said miscreants set the school on fire around 12 am. In Chattogram, miscreants set fire to three polling stations in Khulshi and Bandar areas of the port city of Chattogram early Saturday. The centers which were set ablaze are Nishchinta Para Government Primary School, Mohius Sunnah Madrasa in Bandar area and UCEP School (Dabba School) in Khulshi. Md Shamim, senior station officer of Bandar Fire Service Station, said two firefighting units were engaged in dousing the flame at the spots after being informed about the incidents around 5 am. In Nishchinta centre under Chattogram-11 constituency, 3, 292 voters were supposed to cast votes in Sunday's national election. The fire originated from the headmaster’s room of the school and valuables including books were burnt in the fire. The extent of damages caused by the fire in the Khulshi school could not be ascertained immediately. Mohammad Ali Hossain, Deputy Commissioner (Port-West) of Chattogram Detective Police, said they went to the centres after receiving the news.      

Police on Friday night recovered 10 crude bombs from Vrithachra village under Benapole Port Police Station of Jashore district on Friday night. Tipped off, a team of Jashore DB Police and Benapole Port Police conducted a joint drive near Jahangir Molla's house of the village around 7:45pm and recovered the crude bombs, said  Suman Bhakta, officer-in-charge of Benapole Port Police Station. Read: 13 crude bombs, 4 firearms, bullets recovered in Bagerhat Police have already started an investigation in this matter, he said. Later, the recovered crude bombs were diffused, added the OC.  

A total of 275 polling stations in Jashore out of 825, that is one-third of all the polling stations, have been identified as vulnerable ahead of the next parliamentary election, scheduled for January 7. For this reason, 16,000 members of law enforcement agencies will be deployed in the field to ensure the safety of the voters of all the polling centres including those identified as vulnerable. Pralay Kumar Joardar, Superintendent of Jashore District Police (SP), revealed this while talking to journalists in the district police lines on Friday (January 5). During election duty, Police will have body cameras to identify criminals. Besides, the magistrates will standby to ensure the punishment of the criminals after the arrest, he added. A total of 2,500 policemen will discharge their duties during the election in Jashore. Besides, 10,000 Ansar members, 450 BGB members, army members, magistrates and members of the intelligence force will be deployed to provide security for the election. The entire district will be covered in a blanket of security, added the officer. PBI Jashore Superintendent of Police (SP) Reshma Sharmin, District Election Officer Anisur Rahman and District Ansar Commandant Sanjay Saha, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Belal Hossain and senior police officers were present at that time.