United News of Bangladesh

In a landmark achievement, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has reclaimed a 5-kilometre stretch of border territory along the Kodala River in Moheshpur upazila of Jhenaidah, strengthening Bangladesh's sovereignty over the area. The Moheshpur 58 BGB Battalion, responsible for overseeing this border area, verified the river’s rightful ownership through documents, maps, and consultations with the local administration. Acting on these findings, the battalion took decisive action, according to a press release issued on Monday. On December 19, 2024, BGB personnel began 24-hour patrols using motorised boats and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) to establish control over the river. Guided by directives from higher authorities, they carried out their mission with professionalism and goodwill, the release stated. By December 20, 2024, the BGB had restored local access to the Kodala River. Bangladeshi citizens resumed fishing, cultivating along the riverbanks, and engaging in other daily activities. The release also noted that illegal movements by Indian nationals in the area had largely ceased. On January 6, 2025, the commanding officer of the Moheshpur Battalion met with local residents to raise awareness about the river’s rightful ownership. He thanked the community for their support and encouraged them to educate future generations about the area’s sovereignty. The officer urged locals to continue irrigation and cultivation activities while assuring them of the BGB’s unwavering support in addressing any challenges, the release added. The BGB’s successful reclamation of the Kodala River highlights their dedication to protecting Bangladesh’s borders and upholding the rights of its citizens, the press release concluded. This reclaimed section of the river, which runs southward within Bangladesh, forms part of the Bangladesh-India border near Matila. The Bangladesh-India map (Steep Map Sheet No. 51) adopted in 1961 confirms that this 4.80-kilometre stretch lies entirely within Bangladesh’s territory. Over the years, local residents witnessed the gradual encroachment of this area by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF). After Bangladesh’s independence, many people relocated from the border, which allowed the BSF to assert control over this portion of the Kodala River. This encroachment restricted access for Bangladeshi citizens, leading to frequent disputes between BSF and local residents and occasional confrontations with BGB personnel, the press release added.

Vehicular movement on Rangamati-Chattogram road remained halted for three hours on Monday as the students of Rangamati Science and Technology University (RMSTU)  blocked the road demanding recruitment of a vice-chancellor. The students of RMSTU took to the street at Banrupa Bazar point around 11:30 am and staged demonstrations demanding appointment of a VC at the university. The administrative and academic activities of RMSTU have been hampered seriously due to the lack of a vice-chancellor at the university, creating complexity in the recruitment process of teachers. This has brought the university to a standstill, and as a result, the educational activities are lagging behind. The agitating students threatened to continue their movement until the education adviser announces the appointment of the VC. The protesters also threatened to go for tougher movement if their demand goes unheeded. Dismissed employees of S Alam-owned banks stage road blockade in Ctg However, the traffic movement came to normal after three hours as some political parties of the district town assured the students of appointing a VC at their university soon. The post of Vice Chancellor has been lying vacant since August 18, last year following the resignation of the previous VC.  

A Sylhet court on Monday acquitted 61 BNP men in a case filed under the Special Powers Act 11 years ago. Sylhet Additional District Session Judge Jhalak Roy passed the order, said Beanibazar upazila unit BNP general secretary Sarwar Hossain. Aminul Islam, sub-inspector of Beanibazar Police Station filed the case against them under Special Powers Act. BNP leader Kaikobad returns home after 13 years in exile Sub-inspector Zahirul Islam Khan submitted a chargesheet in the case. Those who were acquitted include Sylhet district unit BNP Vice-President Nazmul Hossain Putul, Child affairs secretary Siddik Ahmed, Beanibazar upazila unit general secretary Sarwar hossain, former joint secretary Saifur Rahman, organizing secretary Nazrul Khan, publicity secretary Foyez Ahmed, Sylhet district unit Jubo Dal leader Abul Kalam and municipality unit Jubo Dal leader Jane Alam.  

Police recovered the body of a 22-year-old woman from her home in Kanaighat of Sylhet on Sunday. The victim, identified as Fatima Begum alias Phoolan, was the wife of Faisal Ahmed of Bayampur Lakshmipur village in the municipality. The deceased’s husband and in-laws reportedly fled the house with their two-year-old daughter shortly after the incident, according to police. Kanaighat Police Station SI Durga Kumar Dev said that they recovered the body after receiving the news and found no family members present at the home. The body was brought to the police station and an accidental death case was filed. However, relatives of the deceased are disputing the suicide claim, alleging that Fatima was murdered by her husband and in-laws. Fatima's father, Faruk Ahmed, said that he received a call from Fatima's sister-in-law, Masuma Begum, on Saturday afternoon, informing him that his daughter had hanged herself. When Faruk arrived at his daughter’s home with his family, they found that Faisal Ahmed, his parents and their granddaughter were no longer there. Neighbours confirmed that the family members had fled the scene after the incident came to light. The body has been sent to Sylhet Osmani Medical College Morgue for autopsy. It will be known whether it was murder or suicide after the autopsy report comes, added the OC.

Two people were killed and one injured in a road accident on Sunday in Singra upazila, Natore, when their motorcycle collided with a truck while overtaking on the Natore-Bogura highway. Jhalmalia Highway Police Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mahbubur Rahman said that police visited the scene after receiving information about the incident. "We are currently working to identify the truck involved and are preparing to file a case" the OC added. The deceased were identified as Rubel (28), son of Ismail Hossain from Khyali Madhyapara village in Dupchanchia upazila, Bogura district and Nadim Mahmud (30), son of Manjur Alam, also from the same village. The injured, Shamsuddin, aged 32, is the son of Saber Pramanik, a local resident. He has been admitted to the Singra Upazila Health Complex for treatment. Driver’s throat-slit body recovered in Faridpur Eyewitnesses reported that around 4pm, three individuals were traveling from Bogura to Haltibile in Naldanga upazila, Natore, on a motorcycle. As they attempted to overtake a truck in the Ningwin area of Singra upazila, the motorcycle lost control and collided with the vehicle.

Police recovered the hanging body of an official of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) at his office on Sunday morning. The deceased was identified as Mohammad Mostain Kabir Sohel, Additional Director (OSD) of the Sports Training Department at the university. 4 to die, 8 get life term for double murder in Sirajganj The victim's colleagues found his body hanging from a fan rod in his room at the Sports Training Department in the morning and informed  police . Shafiqul Islam Khan, officer-in-charge (OC) of Kotwali Police Station, said they are investigating the death. He said they found a suicide note, a mobile phone set, and some other evidences.  

A Sirajganj court on Sunday sentenced four people to death and eight others to life imprisonment in a double murder case. Judge of the Sirajganj Additional district and Session Judge court-3, Mahbubur Rahman handed down the punishment. The condemned convicts are Hasanur Rahman Hashu, 45, Kawsar Ali, 42, Moazzemn Hossain Rintu and Zahidul Islam of Ullapara upazila. The court also fined Tk 50,000 each, in default, to suffer three months more in rigorous imprisonment. The lifers are Ashraf, 50, Motaleb, 40, Rezaul, 32, Dulal, 35, Manirul, 30, Saddam, 28, Bellal, 50 and Awal, 30. They were fined Tk 25,000 each, in default, to suffer three months more in rigorous imprisonment. Four get death sentence for 2016 murder of quack in Chattogram According to the prosecution, Saiful Islam of Chakpangashi village in Ullapara upazila and his neighbor Abul Kalam had been at loggerheads over different issues. As a sequel to the enmity, on January 21, 2017, the convicts equipped with lethal weapons,  led by Hasanur Rahman Hashu, swooped on the house of Saiful. Later, they stabbed Saiful, his brother Sona Mia, Abul Kalam and Makbul indiscriminately with sharp weapons, leaving them injured. Kushtia court serves death sentence to suspended cop for killing wife, two others in 2021 They also vandalised the house of Saiful. Saiful and Makbul succumbed to their injuries at a hospital in Dhaka. A case was filed in this connection.    

The throat-slit body of an ambulance driver who went missing five days back was recovered from an onion land in Nagarkanda upazila of Faridpur on Sunday. The deceased was identified as Md Kamal Mridha, 42, son of late Billal Mridha of Bhojerdangi village under Ramnagar union of the upazila. Santal houses set on fire by UP chairman in Gaibandha Family members and locals said Kamal went out of his house to have tea in the afternoon on December 30 and since then he remained missing. On Saturday afternoon, some farmers found some marks of blood in the onion field and dug the oil on suspicion only to see a decomposed body buried there, they said. Child dies after falling into stove of boiling paddy in Jashore Md Asaduzzaman, senior assistant superintendent of police (Nagarkanda circle) of the district, said being informed by locals they recovered the body from the cropland and sent it to Sadar hospital morgue for autopsy. Efforts were underway to find out the motive behind the killing and arrest the suspects, he added.

Two Santal families' houses were attacked and set on fire by a local UP chairman on Friday night, in a Santal village in Gobindaganj, Gaibandha. Senior police officers visited the area on Saturday. According to the locals, there had been a long-standing dispute regarding land and pond ownership between two sons of Sundar Mondol, namely British Soren and Shailesh Soren, residents of Santal village in the Rajabirat area of Rajahar Union, Gobindaganj, and the union chairman, Rofiqul Islam. On Friday morning, Chairman Rofiqul along with his men attacked Sundar Mondol's house. While Sundar Mondol’s sons refused to vacate the pond and land, the chairman's men physically assaulted British Soren. He was admitted to Bogura Ziaur Rahman Hospital with injuries. Following this incident, Chairman Rofiqul Islam’s men set fire to the houses of British Soren and Shailesh Soren on the night of Friday. After the fire was reported, firefighters from Gobindaganj arrived and controlled the blaze. The OC of Gobindaganj police station Bulbul Islam and Additional Police Superintendent of Gaibandha ABM Rashidul Bari visited the spot on Saturday afternoon. OC Bulbul said that a case was filed against 7 people including UP chairman at Gobindaganj police station on Saturday.

A 4-year child died after accidentally falling into the fire of a paddy-boiling stove in Dodaria village of Jhapa Union, Monirampur Upazila, Jashore. The deceased, Rajan (4), was the son of Milan Hossain from the village. Rajan’s mother, Parveen Akhtar, said, "Today, in the afternoon, while we were boiling paddy in a large stove in the yard, Rajan was playing near the stove. Suddenly, due to carelessness, Rajan fell into the stove. His body was severely burned." He was quickly rescued and taken to Jashore General Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries in the afternoon. Abdur Razzak, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Jashore Kotwali Police Station, confirmed that an unnatural death case has been filed regarding the incident. The body of the child has been kept in the hospital's morgue, he added.