United News of Bangladesh

A pharmaceutical company representative was killed after his motorcycle collided with a Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) pickup on the Sylhet-Tamabil highway in Jaintapur upazila of Sylhet on Friday morning. The deceased was identified as Saddam Hossain, 30, son of Saheb Ali of Jamalpur village in Bagmara upazila of Rajshahi. He worked as a medical representative for Beacon Pharmaceuticals. According to locals, the accident occurred around 10:00am at Sharighat under Darbast union when the BGB pickup was travelling towards Tamabil from Akhalia in Sylhet city. The impact of the collision threw Saddam beneath the pickup, leaving him critically injured. He was rescued by locals and taken to Jaintapur Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared him dead. Officer-in-Charge of Tamabil Highway Police Station Sanjay Chakraborty said legal procedures were underway.

Passengers of the Sagardari Express were left stranded for more than an hour after the train's loco master reportedly left the locomotive during a scheduled stop at Mobarakganj Railway Station in Kaliganj upazila of Jhenaidah on Thursday evening. Station Master Shahjahan Ali said the train arrived at the station at 6:07pm and was scheduled to halt for two minutes. After the train was given clearance to depart, railway staff found the locomotive locked and switched off, while loco master Mahbubur Rahman was nowhere to be found. The train remained stranded at the station for more than an hour, triggering anger among passengers, some of whom staged a protest over the unexpected delay. Following the protest, the station master and other railway staff reportedly left the station temporarily due to security concerns. The loco master returned around 7:15pm, about an hour and seven minutes after the train arrived, and resumed the journey. He declined to speak to journalists about why he had left the train. Train guard Shafiqul Islam said the train left from Khulna and reached Mobarakganj as scheduled. “After the train was given clearance to leave, we found that the loco master left the locomotive. We do not know why he did so,” he said.

Two tourists, including a woman, were killed when their motorcycle plunged into a deep ravine by the Ruma-Boga Lake Road in Ruma upazila of Bandarban early Friday. The deceased were identified as Md Zamir Uddin, 30, from Char Borhanuddin in Bhola, and Rupaiya Akter Rupa, 31, from Gazipur. Police said they could not immediately confirm the nature of the relationship between the duo. The accident occurred in the Pepe Bagan area of the road shortly after 12:00am. On receiving the information, police and members of a local tourist guide group went to the spot and recovered the bodies from the gorge. The bodies were later sent to the morgue of Bandarban Sadar Hospital for autopsy. Bandarban Superintendent of Police Md Ohabul Islam Khandaker said the two tourists went to the area without hiring a local guide. He said they were investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident.

At least three people were killed and 17 others injured after a bus collided with a truck in Madhupur upazila of Tangail on Thursday night. Two of the deceased were identified as Setu Akter, 22, and Tajbir, 8. The accident occurred in the Raktipara area on the Tangail-Mymensingh road. Police and Madhupur Fire Service officials said a Crown Deluxe Paribahan bus was travelling towards Madarganj when it collided with a sand-laden truck heading towards Tangail around 10:00pm. Three passengers died on the spot, while at least 17 others were injured. On information, Fire Service personnel rushed to the scene, recovered the bodies and rescued the injured. Officer-in-Charge of Madhupur Police Station AKM Fazlul Haque said the bodies would be handed over to the families on the completion of legal procedures.

The Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) has now filed a complaint with police against 10 named leaders and activists of the National Citizen Party (NCP), including its Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary and Chief Organiser (Northern Region) Sarjis Alam, accusing them of theft, assault and causing injuries Iqbal Hossain Rokon, joint convener of district unit JCD, filed the complaint, which also names 40 to 50 unidentified people, with Habiganj Sadar Police Station on Thursday night, said its Officer-in-Charge (OC) Zahidul Haque. He said police will take further action after investigating the allegations. Earlier, on Wednesday, a complaint was filed by Chhatra Shakti district unit Convener Tanmoy Taher Rubel against JCD leaders and activists at the Kamaichhara Police Camp in Bahubal upazila over the attack on the NCP leaders and activists in Habiganj. The complaint was recorded as a regular case at the Sadar Police Station on Thursday night against 11 named and 100 unnamed leaders and activists of the JCD. The accused include district JCD President Rajib Ahmed Ringon, Brindaban Govt College unit General Secretary Ashraful Islam Riaz, and organisation leaders Asikul Islam Imon, Mozakker Hossain Imon, Shimul, Saimon, Mahfuz, Ishtiaq Sabbir, Nazmul and Roxy. On Tuesday evening, an NCP convoy carrying Nasiruddin Patwary and Sarjis Alam came under attack when they were returning after attending a rally in Habiganj, marking the July mass uprising. During the attack, one of the vehicles was vandalised, and at least 15 leaders and activists were injured.

A young man accused in a murder case was shot to death by unidentified assailants in the Dakkhin Tutpara Baro Khalpar area of Khulna city early Friday. The deceased was identified as Ismail, 32, son of Shajahan of the area. Witnesses said a group of assailants shot Ismail in the head near his house around 12:15am, leaving him seriously injured. Later, he was rushed to Khulna Medical College Hospital, where the doctor on duty declared him dead. Md Shafiqul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Khulna Sadar Police Station, said the attackers also struck Ismail on the head with a sharp weapon to ensure his death. Police visited the scene and collected evidence, he said. The OC said Ismail had several cases filed against him, including one on murder charges. However, details about the cases were not available immediately. The body has been kept at the hospital morgue for an autopsy. Police were investigating the motive behind the killing and conducting drives to identify and arrest those involved, Shafiqul said.  

Two women were killed and at least 15 others injured after a speeding passenger bus lost control and crashed into several CNG-run autorickshaws in Anwara upazila of Chattogram on Thursday night. The deceased were identified as Poli Dutta and Ifa Shil, wife of Shimul Shil, both residents of Jhiuri village in Barkhain union of Anwara. The accident occurred around 8 pm at the Karnaphuli Tunnel connection point, where the bus reportedly ploughed into five parked autorickshaws before crashing into a roadside tea stall. Police and locals rescued the victims and sent them to hospitals. The two women were declared dead at Anwara Upazila Health Complex, while the injured were admitted to the same hospital and Chattogram Medical College Hospital for treatment. Confirming the incident, Anwara Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Junayet Chowdhury said legal action would be taken.

Police arrested an alleged female drug trader with 2,500 yaba tablets during an anti-narcotics drive in Matlab South upazila of Chandpur on Thursday. The arrestee, identified as Khuki, also known as Parveen, 60, is the daughter of Majed Sharif of Chapaid village in Madhupur upazila of Tangail. Police said she is currently living in the Karwan Bazar slum in Dhaka. She was detained after police stopped and searched a passenger Hiace vehicle on the bridge near Panir Tanki Bazar in the Dashpara area of Matlab municipality, recovering 2,500 yaba tablets from her possession. Police said a search of her mobile phone found no stored contacts or call records. During questioning, she allegedly gave misleading and inconsistent information. Further investigation revealed that she had previously been accused in a yaba trafficking case in Cumilla. Police also said she was arrested by Cumilla Sadar South Police with 700 yaba tablets on Feb. 14 last year. According to investigators, Parveen allegedly collected yaba from Chattogram and supplied the drugs through different routes, with the Chandpur-Hajiganj corridor being one of the key trafficking routes. Matlab South Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Hafizur Rahman Manik said the arrest was made based on a tip-off and the accused was sent to court after legal procedures. Assistant Superintendent of Police (Matlab Circle) Jabir Husnain Sani said drives against drugs, juvenile gangs and other crimes would continue as part of the police's zero-tolerance policy against narcotics.  

Police recovered the hanging body of a young man from the Upashahar area of Sylhet city on Thursday morning. The deceased was identified as Rabby Ahmed, 29, son of Md Abu Taher of Duspur area under Jagannathpur thana in Sunamganj district. He had been living with his family at a rented house of Upashahar. Police said Rabby was found hanging from a ceiling fan with a scarf around his neck inside his room after family members broke open the door when he did not respond to their calls. He was taken to Ibn Sina Hospital in Subhanighat, where doctors declared him dead. Shahporan (R.) Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Monir Hossain confirmed the incident, saying the body was sent to the morgue of Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital for autopsy. A case of unnatural death will be filed, he said, adding that police primarily suspect it to be a suicide.  

A man accused in a case filed over an alleged attempt to rape a seven-year-old child died while in police custody in Faridganj upazila of Chandpur on Thursday. The deceased was identified as Mizanur Rahman, 55, a resident of Babur Bari in Kairatali village of the upazila. Police said a case had recently been filed against Mizanur over an alleged attempt to rape the child. He was arrested from his home on Thursday morning in connection with the case. On the way to the police station, Mizanur reportedly fell ill. Police immediately took him to Faridganj Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared him dead. Dr Asaduzzaman Jewel, health and family planning officer of the health complex, said Mizanur had died before he was brought to the hospital. No injury marks were found on his body, and doctors suspected that he died of a heart attack. Additional Superintendent of Police of Chandpur Md Lutfar Rahman said the accused became sick after his arrest and police rushed him to the hospital, where doctors declared him dead. However, Mizanur’s family made a different allegation regarding his death. The deceased’s relative Mamun Patwari claimed that a group led by Moshfiqur Rahman Imu, Asif Bhuiyan and Kalu Mia of Kairatali village had been demanding Tk 5 lakh in extortion from Mizanur for several days. He alleged that police arrested Mizanur without proper investigation due to the group’s influence and subjected him to mental harassment. The family claimed that he died unable to bear the social stigma and psychological pressure over the rape attempt allegation. Officer-in-Charge of Faridganj Police Station Mohammad Ershad Ullah said the body would be handed over to the family after completing legal procedures.