United News of Bangladesh

A woman and her daughter were killed and another injured after a truck hit their CNG autorickshaw on the Begumganj-Lakshmipur regional highway in Noakhali on Friday night. The deceased were identified as Jamina Sultana Inu, 20, wife of Abdur Rahman from Chandraganj in Lakshmipur district, and their 2-year-old daughter Fatema Akhter. Rahman, the husband of the deceased Fatema, the CNG driver who was injured in the accident, said he, along with his wife and daughter, was going to Chauhmuni Bazar in Noakhali. Protesters block highways in Barishal demanding ban on Awami League When he was crossing Amin Bazar in Begumganj upazila, a speeding truck came from behind and hit his autorickshaw, leaving his wife and daughter seriously injured. Later, with the help of locals, they were rescued and taken to the 150-bed Begumganj Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared Inu and her daughter Fatema dead. Rahman received primary treatment at the hospital. Road crash leaves 3 dead in Gopalganj Mobarak Hossain Bhuiyan, officer-in-charge (OC) of Chandraganj Highway Police, said locals caught the truck driver and handed him over to the police with the vehicle. The bodies were sent to the 250-bed Noakhali General Hospital morgue for autopsies, he added.

A group of protesters blocked  Dhaka-Barishal highway on Friday night demanding ban on the Awami League. A protest march under the banner of Chhatra-Janata was taken out from in front of Ashwini Kumar Hall in the city at around 8:45 pm on Friday. Later, they took up positions on the Dhaka-Barishal highway at Nathullabad near Barishal Central Bus Terminal.

Port workers have warned of enforcing shutdowns and blockades if the government proceeds with any move to hand over operations of the Chattogram Port to foreign companies. Speaking at a protest rally in the port area on Friday afternoon, labour leaders alleged that a conspiracy to privatise the port began during the previous Awami League government, when operations of various terminals were handed over to private operators. They claimed the current interim government is following that same path by attempting to transfer the management of the NCT and CCT to foreign companies. They said that if the decision is not scrapped immediately, they will bring port activities to a standstill through hartals, blockades and work stoppages. Govt wants to punish evil circles: CHT Adviser The protest rally was organised by the Chattogram Port Combined Workers-Employees Federation. BNP’s Central Labour Affairs Secretary A M Nazim Uddin attended the rally as chief guest while labour Party President Anwar Hossain and Kazi Sheikh Nurullah Bahar, General Secretary of the Chattogram divisional unit of Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal, also addressed the gathering.

Three people were killed and another one was injured when a pickup van lost control and crashed into a tree in Muksudpur upazila of Gopalganj on Thursday.  Among the deceased, two were identified as Tanvir and Nazmul from Dhaka's Dohar. The accident occurred at Daserhat on the Dhaka-Khulna highway in the upazila around 4:45 pm, said Md. Rakibuzzaman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Bhanga Highway Police Station. He said that on Thursday afternoon, the pickup lost control and crashed into a tree on the side of the road, leaving two people dead and two others injured.  Later, the injured were rescued and taken to Muksudpur Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared one more dead. The seriously injured man was later sent to Faridpur Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment.

No further incidents of people being pushed into Bangladesh from India have been reported since Wednesday, when the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) allegedly forced 80 people across the border into Khagrachari, claiming they were Bangladeshi nationals. Acting Deputy Commissioner of Khagrachari district Nazmun Ara Sultana said no further push-ins have occurred till Thursday afternoon. Besides, no administrative decision has yet been made regarding the 80 people who were detained after being pushed into the country through Matiranga and Panchhari borders on Wednesday. BGB tightens security along 70-km Jashore border amid India-Pakistan tensions   The detained people, mostly women and children, are currently kept in the local government primary schools along the borders. They are under the supervision of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and are being provided with cooked meals by the upazila administration on humanitarian grounds, she said. Meanwhile, a sense of fear has spread in border villages although the local administration has assured that there is no immediate security threat. BGB has intensified patrols to prevent any illegal entry through the bordering areas of the district. According to BGB sources, BSF pushed 29 people into Bangladesh through the Shantipur border and another 19 through Achalong Para of Taindong Union on Wednesday. Besides, 32 people were pushed in through the Ruposhi Para border of Panchhari Upazila. BSF reportedly gathered more Indian nationals in various parts of Tripura State of India for possible push-in attempts.  

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has intensified security measures along a 70-kilometre stretch of Jashore border in Sharsha upazila amid the growing tensions between India and Pakistan. Members of BGB’s Jashore-70 Battalion have ramped up patrols in the area, said Lt. Colonel Saifullah Siddiqui, Commanding Officer of BGB-49 Battalion, adding that the force has been placed on high alert along the border. “Security measures have been reinforced to prevent any illegal entry from India through border,” he said. 10 civilians killed amid cross-border shelling along LoC in J&K’s Poonch: Indian Army Al Mamun, a resident of Sharsha, said the situation along the border remains calm. “If there is any attempt at infiltration or smuggling due to provocation by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF), we, the locals, are ready to stand beside the BGB to resist it,” he said. Alamgir Hossain, a public representative from the border area, said, “Although tensions between India and Pakistan continue the situation here is stable for now. Previously, BSF personnel were seen every 500 yards, but now they appear every 300 yards which is somewhat concerning.” Meanwhile, India’s Border Security Force (BSF) reportedly pushed 80 Indian nationals into Bangladesh through Khagrachharion Wednesday, claiming they were Bangladeshis. According to BGB sources, 27 people were pushed in through the Shantipur border, 23 through Achalong Para of Taindong Union, and 30 more via the Ruposhi Para border in Panchhari upazila. 4 Bangladeshis detained by BSF near Thakurgaon border Khagrachhari’s Acting Deputy Commissioner Nazmun Ara Sultana said a total of 80 Indian nationals, including women and children, crossed into Bangladesh through the Matiranga and Panchhari upazilas.  

Five people, including three members of the same family, were killed and three others injured when a bus rammed into a stationary ambulance on the Dhaka-Mawa Expressway in Nimtoli area of Munshiganj early Thursday. The deceased were identified as Abdus Samad Fakir, his son Billah Fakir, and daughter Afsana, residents of Mithapukur in Kishoreganj district. The identities of the two other victims could not be confirmed immediately. 2 kids raped in Munshiganj;  ‘rapist’ held According to Abdul Kader Jilani, officer-in-charge of Hashra Highway Police Station, the family was travelling to Dhaka in an ambulance as Billah’s pregnant wife, Rozina Begum, required medical attention. The vehicle was carrying 10 family members. The tragedy unfolded when a tyre of the ambulance burst, prompting the driver to pull over for repairs while some passengers got down and others remained inside. Man sentenced to life imprisonment for murder in Munshiganj Around 12:30am, a speeding bus operated by ‘Golden Line Paribahan’ crashed into the parked ambulance, killing one person on the spot and injuring seven others. The injured were rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where four more succumbed to their injuries.  

Police recovered the body of a 20-year-old youth near Madanpur Bridge in Narsingdi on Wednesday night, reportedly after he was killed by kidnappers who failed to secure ransom. The victim was identified as Shuvo, son of Manik Molla of Phultala village under Shilmandi Union in Sadar upazila. Emdadul Haque, officer-in-charge of Narsingdi Model Police Station, said Shuvo had been missing since he left home two days earlier. “Around 11pm on Wednesday, we recovered the body and sent it to Narsingdi Sadar Hospital morgue for post-mortem,” he said. According to the victim’s family, Shuvo was kidnapped near his home on the morning of May 5. The kidnappers later demanded Tk 6 lakh in ransom. Despite frantic efforts, the family was unable to trace him. Man to die, 4 get life term for killing trader They alleged that the kidnappers tortured and killed Shuvo after failing to extort the money and later dumped his body beside the Narsingdi–Madanpur road. Locals discovered the body and informed police. “A case will be filed based on the family’s complaint. A manhunt is underway to arrest those responsible,” the OC added.

A Sylhet court on Wednesday sentenced a man to death and four others to life imprisonment for killing trader Ehteshamul Haque Shaheen in 2021. Sylhet Additional Session Judge Mahmudul Hasan handed down the punishment. The condemned convict was identified as Wahidur Rahman Sunny, son of Mahbubur Rahman of Golapganj upazila of the district. Those who got life imprisonment were identified as Sarwar Hossain, son of Jamal Hossain, Shakil Ahmed, son of Manik Mia, Fahim Islam, son of Nur Islam of Golapganj upazila and Raihan Ahmed, son of Ahmed Ali of Biswanath upazila. Among them, Raihan tried in absentia. ‘Court has become our second home’, laments Gayeshwar The court also fined them Tk 20,000 each, in default, to suffer three years more in rigorous imprisonment. The court also acquitted Mazedur Rahman, son of Taibur Rahman, as allegations brought against him could not be proved. According to the prosecution, the convicts waylaid an auto-rickshaw carrying Shaheen, former vice-president of Hetimganj Bazar Banik Samity, while returning to his home from Dhaka around 1:30 pm and stabbed him indiscriminately on March 21, 2021 over previous enmity, leaving him injured. Later, he was taken to Osmani Medical College and Hospital where the doctors declared him dead. Iftekharul Haque Sabuj, younger brother of Shaheen, filed a case with Golapganj Police Station. Members of the Rapid Action Battalion arrested four people on May 2, 2021.

The mango harvesting schedule  in Rajshahi for the current season will officially start on May 15, the administration said on Wednesday. Deputy Commissioner Afia Akhtar  announced it during a discussion meeting on mango collection, transportation and marketing at the conference room of the DC office. The administration  also set a production target of 2,60,006 metric tonnes  of mango with a sales target of Tk 1,695.85 crore. First harvest of mangoes for Chuadanga farmers from May 15 Agricultural officials, mango growers, traders and transport owners were present at the meeting. The district administration also unveiled the annual ‘Mango Calendar’. According to the calendar, the harvesting of Guti mangoes will begin on May 15, followed by Gopalbhog on May 20. Other varieties including Ranipachanda or Laxmanbhog from May 25, Himsagar or Khirsapat from May 30, Langra or Banana Mango from June 10, Amrapali and Fazli from June 15, BARI Mango-4 from July 5, Ashwina from July 10 and Gourmoti from July 15. Meanwhile, Katimon and BARI Mango-11 varieties can be harvested year-round, depending on ripeness. This year, mangoes have been cultivated on 19,603 hectares of land in Rajshahi. The mango harvesting in Bangladesh  usually runs from May to August. The peak season is June and July.