United News of Bangladesh

Ferry service on Chandpur-Shariatpur route resumed this morning after nearly six hours of suspension due to dense fog in the Meghna River. 30 injured in earthquake panic rush in Cumilla, Chandpur The authorities concerned were forced to suspend the ferry services from 12 am to 6 am today to avert accidents.  Hundreds of vehicles waiting to cross the river remained stuck at both ends of the river, causing distress to passengers and drivers in the chilly weather. Cyclone Midhili: Large-scale damage reported to crops in Chandpur Faisal Alam Chowdhury, manager of Harina Ferry Ghat in Chandpur, said the ferry services resumed around 6 am after the visibility issues caused by the dense fog improved. 60-year-old dies as tree falls on him in Chandpur

Train communication between Chattogram and Dhaka has remained suspended since this morning following the derailment of a bogie in Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram district. Chattogram-12: Two police officers withdrawn for alleged links to independent candidate Sub-inspector of Sitakunda Railway Police, Amzad Hossain, said a bogie of the Dhaka-bound ‘Chattala Express’, coming from Chattogram Rail Station, veered off the tracks at Siraj Bhuiyan intersection of Chattogram municipality around 7 am, disrupting rail communication. Chattogram-3: Independent candidate's supporter show-caused for statement undermining election However, the train communication on the Chattogram-bound line remains uninterrupted, he said. Mozammel Hossain, station master of Sitakunda Rail Station, said a relief train rushed to the spot for the salvage operation. Local AL leader arrested with firearm in Chattogram

M Khurshid Hossain, Director General (DG) of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has said those trying to obstruct voters from casting ballots will be resisted as voting is a constitutional right. Alongside other law enforcing agencies, the elite force will perform their duties in a coordinated way to ensure smooth movement of voters to the polling centers, he said while speaking at a press briefing held at Khulna RAB-6 office on Tuesday (January 02, 2024). Half of the polling centers in Dhaka considered ‘vulnerable’: DMP Commissioner RAB will remain in the field before, on election day and after to maintain law and order, he also said. Besides, RAB is closely monitoring the situation to prevent any kind of sabotage or violence centering the election, said the RAB DG. 25 temporary camps to be set up across country ahead of polls:  RAB

Muggers took away an Italian citizen’s handbag when she along with two others were passing through the SS Khaled Road in Chattogram city on Tuesday night. Chattogram-12: Two police officers withdrawn for alleged links to independent candidate The Italian national, a photographer named Cristina Jemma, along with two others were walking towards Jamal Khan from Shilpakala Academy around 10:45 pm. At one stage, muggers, in a CNG-run auto-rickshaw, snatched her bag and fled the scene. Chattogram-3: Independent candidate's supporter show-caused for statement undermining election According to Cristina, she withdrew Tk 30,000 from an ATM booth and there were other valuables including a mobile phone and camera in the bag. Police are trying to arrest the muggers. Local AL leader arrested with firearm in Chattogram

Ferry services on Daulatdia-Paturia route in the Padma River remained suspended for nine hours today due to poor visibility caused by dense fog. Mohiuddin Russel, manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) at Aricha point, said the ferry service was suspended at 11:30 pm on Tuesday night owing to poor visibility. Four ferries — Keramat Ali, Shah Paran, Golam Mawla and Dhaka — remained stranded in the middle of the Padma River while nine ferries — five in Paturia and four in Daulatdia — were anchored at the ferry ghats . Fog disrupts Daulatdia- Paturia ferry services for 4hrs The ferry services on the route resumed at 8:30 am after visibility improved with the disappearance of fog. Some 50 passenger buses and 300 goods-laden vehicles were stranded at the ghats following the suspension of ferry services. Daulatdia-Paturia ferry services resume after 6 hours          

A Netrakona-bound train narrowly escaped an accident as miscreants removed 40 dogpins, and nuts-bolts of the railway line in Netrokona’s Purbadhala upazila on Tuesday.   Ansar members patrolling the Zaria Balurghat Bridge area of the upazila noticed the rail tracks, said  Zaria Railway Station Master Monir Hossain. On Tuesday morning, Ansar members found 40 dogpins, nuts and bolts open on the number 17 bridge of the railway line at Balughata between Purbadhala Railway Station and Zaria Station of the upazila. Ansar members stopped the Netrakona bound train at Balughata near Zaria station.   Purbadhala Upazila Nirbahi Officer Khabirul Ahsan said ansar members are guarding the railway line all the time and repair work is currently underway.  

Awami League candidate for Feni-1 constituency Alauddin Ahmed Chowdhury Nasim is seeking vote for 'boat' in the national polls assuring voters of further development of the region. “If elected I will take initiative to reopen the Feni-Belonia rail line,” he said this while exchanging views with the leaders of Parshuram Bazar Traders’ Association on Monday. “We will provide technical training to unemployed youths of Feni-1 and create employment opportunities for them,” he said. Shoot if anyone tries to snatch away ballot boxes, voting papers: Feni SP In addition, he participated in 12 street meetings where a huge number of people participated. The AL-nominated candidate, who has established a college, madrashas and health facility in his locality for common people’s welfare, is trying to stir voters’ interest through door-to-door campaigns and widespread mass contact in his constituency. Rangamati Science and Technology University Vice-Chancellor (VC) Selina Akhter, among others, spoke as special guests. Alauddin Nasim said if elected he will start the work to upgrade Feni-Belonia road into four-lane ones soon and a plan will be taken to set up bus, CNG and truck stands at Parshuram. Recently, he held a view-exchange meeting with Feni-1 constituency people living in Dhaka at IDB Bhaban in the capital where former Dhaka University VC Dr AK Azad Chowdhury, BGMEA ex- president Anwarul Alam Chowdhury Parvez and ex-NSI DG Gazi Golam Rahman and ex-minister Lt Col Jafar Imam, among others, were present. Chuadanga-1: Jatiya Party candidate withdraws from election, alleging lack of cooperation from party Nasim is a former member of the executive committee of Awami League and former president of Chittagong University Chhatra League. His wife is Dr Jahanara Arju, a professor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. Nasim joined BCS Administration Service in 1986. In 1996, he was appointed as the protocol officer to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and served in this capacity till 2001. After 2001, he started working as APS to Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina in Parliament. He remained in this position until the 2008 election. Alauddin Ahmed Chowdhury Nasim is the chairman of the Board of Trustees of Feni University.  

Three fish traders were killed and two were injured as a pickup van carrying them and fish crashed into a roadside tree in Chhatak upazila of Sylhet this morning. The deceased were identified as Abdul Karim, Nurul Haque and Asad Uddin, hailing from several areas of Jamalganj upazila in Sunamganj. Read: Bagerhat-4: AL candidate's office set on fire  The identities of the injured could not be known immediately. Police and locals said the pickup van carrying the traders and fish was going to Sylhet from the district’s Jamalganj upazila around 11 am. The pickup van hit the roadside tree after the driver lost control over the wheels in Borokapon area under Jaouya Bazar union of Chhatak upazila, leaving the three dead on the spot and two critically injured, they said. Read: Main accused arrested in case over murdered Magura siblings  Sub-inspector Abdul Kabir of Joykalas Highway Police confirmed the matter, saying that after being informed, a police team rushed to the spot and was working to recover the bodies. The bodies will be handed over to the families upon completing legal procedures, he added. 

The northern district of Kurigram has been grappling with severe cold and dense fog over the past three days, significantly disrupting daily life and activities. The extreme weather conditions have particularly affected children, the elderly, day laborers, and those in underprivileged communities. From evening until the next morning, a dense fog blankets the area and compels residents to remain indoors. Vehicles on roads are forced to use headlights even during the day due to thick fog and water transport is also facing the same problem. Kurigram’s Rajarhat Meteorological Office recorded the temperature at 13 degrees Celsius at 6 am today. Though the temperatures will remain stable in the day hours, it will fall at night. The impact of the cold has been increasing day by day in around 450 chars of the district where poor and underprivileged people mostly live. People rushing in search of work in the fog are suffering while their worries about the possibility of vegetable fields and seedbeds being destroyed in severe cold are increasing gradually. Md Aslam Hossain, a resident of Tapu Bhelakopa village under Kurigram municipality, said that there is no end to the suffering of working people like him. It is impossible to survive if they have to remain indoor. Narzul Islam of Dharlar Par said they have been experiencing severe cold for two or three days. Hands and feet are getting cold like ice while working in the fields in the morning, he added. Subal Chandra Sarkar, a weather official in Rajarhat, predicted that a cold wave might sweep the area this month.

An election office of the Awami League-nominated candidate for Bagerhat-4 constituency (Morelganj and Sharankhola), HM Bodiujjaman Shohag, has been set on fire. The incident happened at the Amurbunia Bazar area of Nishanbaria union of Morrelganj upazila of Bagerhat early Monday morning. Also read: Lalmonirhat-1: Boat set on fire allegedly by Eagle supporters The candidate and the administration have said miscreants have caused the fire. However, no complaint was filed at the police station till 7:30 pm on Monday. Sohag said miscreants set fire to his election office. He demanded that the administration find out who was responsible for the fire. Mohammad Shamsuddin, officer-in-charge of Morrelganj Police Station, said police visited the spot after being informed. There was minor damage in the fire. Initially, it is believed that the miscreants set the fire. Also read: BNM candidate’s election camp set on fire in Chapainawabganj Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer of Bagerhat. Md Khalid Hossain said police have been asked to increase surveillance in the area. At the same time, the police have been instructed to find those involved in the incident.