United News of Bangladesh

At least 10 activists were injured in a clash between leaders and supporters of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Kurigram's fulbari upazila on Thursday evening. The clash broke out around 6:30 pm on Thana Road in the upazila headquarters when separate protest processions brought out by the two parties came face to face. Police and locals said NCP leaders and activists brought out a protest march from the party's office on Thana Road in protest against an alleged attack on Azan Ahmed Shawon, member secretary of the student wing Jatiya Chhatra Shakti, on July 29. At around the same time, leaders and activists of Jatiotabadi Chatradal, Jubodal and Swecchasebak Dal marched towards the police station from the Adam Market area. As the two processions confronted each other near Shaheed Lutfor Rahman Sarani, tensions escalated, triggering a violent clash and a chase and counter-chase. Witnesses said at least 10 people from both sides were injured. However, their identities could not be confirmed immediately due to the tense situation in the area. Mahmud Hasan Nayeem, fulbari Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC), said police rushed to the scene immediately after receiving information and brought the situation under control. He said several people from both groups were reportedly injured after becoming involved in the clash and the ensuing commotion. The OC said the law-and-order situation in the area is now under control. Additional police have been deployed across the upazila headquarters to prevent any further untoward incidents.

Police have arrested a local leader of the BNP's student wing in Lalmonirhat in connection with a case filed under the Narcotics Control Act on Thursday noon. The arrestee, Khokon Mia, 22, was detained from his residence. He is the member secretary of Bhelabari Union unit of Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chatradal (JCD) in Aditmari upazila and the son of Md Chakamal Hossain of East Bhelabari village. According to police and the case statement, detectives launched an anti-drug operation at Bhelabari Bazar on June 25 after receiving intelligence that two alleged drug peddlers were heading towards the market on a motorcycle carrying Tapentadol tablets. A drug case was filed against Khokon Mia at Aditmari Police Station on June 26. Acting on the case, police arrested Khokon from his home on Thursday. Rowshan Kabir, DB Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Lalmonirhat confirmed  the matter. Reacting to the incident, Aditmari upazila Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal Member Secretary Amir Hamza Nannu said he had heard that Khokon, who serves as president of the Bhelabari Union unit of the organisation, was facing a drug case, although he was not immediately aware of his arrest. Amir Hamza Nannu, Jatiotabadi Chatradal Member Secretary of Aditmari upazila said, the matter had been reported to the district unit of JCD and organisational action would be taken against Khokon once directives were received from the district leadership.

Workers of JMI Syringe Factory blocked the Chattogram-bound lane of the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway in Cumilla's Chauddagram upazila for nearly three hours on Thursday, demanding a hike in basic wages and implementation of a seven-point charter of demands. During the protest, workers attempted several times to force their way through the factory's main gate and allegedly pelted bricks, damaging the factory's glass windows. The demonstrators later withdrew the blockade after receiving assurances from the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO). The protesting workers said they had resumed work in 2024 after the factory authorities assured them that their demands would be met following an earlier movement. However, they alleged that most of those promises remained unfulfilled. As a result, they suspended work on July 27 and launched fresh demonstrations, demanding increased wages and allowances, improved workplace safety, separate prayer facilities and implementation of their seven-point demands. Golam Mostafa, Factory owner, claimed that most of the workers' previous demands had already been fulfilled after the 2024 movement. He said workers began their latest protest on Monday and a meeting was later held involving worker representatives, the UNO, the officer-in-charge (OC) of Chauddagram Police Station and local BNP and Jamaat leaders. According to him, the worker representatives agreed to return to work after being assured that their demands would be addressed. However, he alleged that a small group of workers resumed the unrest. Mostafa also said it was not possible for the factory to meet the current wage hike demand and warned that he might shut down the factory if necessary. Mohammad Shahadat Hossain, Chauddagram UNO, said the workers had temporarily blocked the highway but removed the blockade after discussions with the administration. He said efforts were underway to resolve the labour dispute as quickly as possible.

Two passengers were killed and four others, including the driver, were seriously injured after a CNG-run autorickshaw rammed into the rear of a parked truck on the Sylhet-Sunamganj regional highway in Chhatak upazila early Thursday. The accident occurred near the house of Musabbir Mia at Jatua village under South Khurma Union. According to police and locals, a truck had been parked on the roadside in the Sylhet-bound lane when a CNG-run autorickshaw lost control and crashed into its rear. The impact crushed the front portion of the autorickshaw, killing two passengers on the spot.   Locals rushed to the scene, launched rescue efforts and informed police. The deceased were identified as Rajab Ali, 50, of Kalyanpur village in Dowarabazar upazila, and Md Nur Uddin, 35, of Joti village in Chhatak upazila. Four others, including the CNG driver, sustained serious injuries, with some reported to be in critical condition. Md Zahirul Islam, SI (Investigation) of Joykolosh Highway Police Station, along with his team, reached the scene. The injured were rescued with the help of locals, provided primary treatment and later referred to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital for advanced care. Police recovered the bodies, prepared inquest reports and sent them to Sunamganj Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy. The truck and the damaged autorickshaw were seized and taken into police custody.

A six-year-old boy on Tuesday drowned while bathing in a pond in Raiganj upazila of Sirajganj. The deceased was identified as Siam, son of Akram Hossain of Sheikhpara village under Chandaikona. Officer-in-Charge (OC) Ahsanuzzaman of Raiganj Police Station said Siam went to bathe in a neighbouring pond with friends in the afternoon. While the other children returned home after bathing, Siam went missing. After a search, family members found his body in the pond in the evening. Police recovered the body and handed it over to the family as no complaint was filed. A case has been recorded with the police station, the OC added.

The bodies of a man and his son, who had gone missing after a boat capsized in the Padma River in Rajshahi, were recovered on Thursday, two days after the accident. The deceased were identified as boatman Kawsar Ali, 60, and his son Ziarul Haque, 40. Superintendent of Police of the River Police Rajshahi Region Mohammad Billal Hossain said Kawsar's body was recovered in the morning from the river near the Banglabazar-Pakshi Bridge area in Kushtia. Later in the afternoon, the body of Ziarul was recovered from the Satbaria Char area of Paba upazila in Rajshahi. According to the River Police, personnel from the River Police and divers from the Fire Service and Civil Defence jointly conducted a search operation over the past two days. Due to the strong current in the Padma, the bodies drifted a considerable distance from the site of the accident before being recovered, police said. The bodies were later handed over to their family. The accident occurred on Tuesday when an engine-powered boat loaded with jhau trees capsized in the middle of the Padma River near the Padma Garden area in Rajshahi city. The boat, carrying eight passengers, had set off from Char Mazardia for the Lalon Shah Muktamancha when it was caught in strong waves and sank. Six passengers were rescued alive, while Kawsar Ali and his son had remained missing until their bodies were recovered on Thursday.

Hundreds of workers of Fortune Shoes Ltd blocked Natun Bazar road in Barishal on Thursday, to press home their eight-point demands including payment of two months' overdue wages. The workers of the factory gathered at Notun Bazar around 1 pm and blocked the road, causing severe traffic congestion. The demonstration was continuing on one side of the road until at least 5:30pm. The protesting workers alleged that they had not received salaries for the past two months despite working regularly. They also claimed that although they had been required to work overtime, they had not been paid any overtime wages. Under the labour law, workers are entitled to receive double their regular wage for overtime work, but they had not received any such payments, said the protesters. The workers further claimed that when they raised the issue of unpaid wages and other dues with the company authorities, they were subjected to harassment and various forms of pressure. They also alleged that employees attempting to join organisations to protect workers' rights were forced to leave their jobs. The protesters also vowed to continue their movement until their eight-point demands, including payment of all outstanding wages and allowances, are met. Shahidul Hawlader, office secretary of the Barishal District Sramik Front, said the workers' legitimate demands had long been ignored. He urged the authorities to resolve the crisis immediately by paying the outstanding salaries, overtime wages and meeting the other demands, warning that the movement could intensify if no action is taken. Severe traffic congestion has been created in the Notun Bazar area and its surrounding roads following the protest, causing immense sufferings to the commuters. Police later persuaded the protesters to move to one side of the road, allowing vehicles to pass, although traffic remained slow. Al Mamun Ul Islam, Officer-in-Charge of Barishal Kotwali Model Police Station said police had requested the protesters to stay on one side of the road to minimise public suffering. "Police are monitoring the situation and trying to keep traffic moving as normally as possible," he said. No immediate statement was available from the authorities of Fortune Shoes Ltd regarding the workers' allegations.

Detectives in a drive arrested three alleged members of an inter-district cattle theft syndicate, including its suspected kingpin from different parts of Bagerhat and Khulna districts. The arrestees were identified as Arif Molla, 38, a kingpin of the syndicate and son of Dhanu Molla of Terokhada upazila in Khulna district, Imran Sheikh, 27, son of Abu Sayed Sheikh of Fakirhat upazila and Nahid Sheikh, 27, son of Shukur Sheikh of Rampal upazila in Bagerhat district. Police also recovered 11 stolen cattle and a truck used in the crimes during raids, said Hasan Mohammad Naser Rikabdar, Superintendent of Bagerhat Police while speaking at a press briefing on Thursday. Tipped off, a team of DB police conducted separate drives in Fakirhat and Rampal upazilas and arrested two people on Wednesday night. Following the confessional statement of them, police conducted a drive at Katenga village in Terokhada upazila and arrested Arif early Thursday. Later, police recovered 11 cattle from the house of Arif, said police. The market value of the recovered cattle is worth around Tk 10 lakh. The syndicate has at least 50 members who allegedly lift cattle from different parts of the country, transport them by truck or pickup van and later sell them at cattle markets, said SP Hasan Naser. All the arrestees were wanted in a number of criminal cases, he said. However, drives are underway to arrest other members of the gang, he added.

The body of a female school teacher was recovered from a septic tank at Ekdanta Baroipara in Atgharia upazila of Pabna district on Thursday. The deceased was identified as Gita Rani, 45, a teacher of Chachkia BRAC School and wife of Nanda Das of the village. Nazmul Haque, Officer-in-Charge of Atgharia Police Station, said Gita used to live at her house alone as her husband used to live in Dhaka for work purpose. On Thursday morning, while searching for her, locals found her body in the septic tank around 11:00 and  informed police who recovered the body. Atgharia Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Nazmul Haque said preparations are underway to send the body to the morgue of Pabna General Hospital for an autopsy. He said it is not yet clear yet how she was killed and it is being investigated.

Five platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been deployed in five upazilas of Sylhet ahead of the National Citizen Party's (NCP) July marches  and rallies. Sylhet Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime and Operations) Zakir Hossain told reporters that BGB members have been deployed in 5 upazilas- Osmaninagar, Jaintapur, Kanaighat, Gowainghat and Companiganj. On Thursday, the party will hold a march and rally in Kanaighat at 3pm and another in Osmaninagar at 7pm. On Friday, the programmes will be held in Companiganj at 3pm, Gowainghat at 5pm and Jaintapur at 7pm. Earlier, the Home Ministry asked the district administration to deploy BGB personnel in the five upazilas to maintain law and order. Sylhet Assistant Superintendent of Police (Media) Samrat Talukder said adequate police personnel both in uniform and plainclothes would be deployed in the five upazilas to maintain discipline during the NCP programmes. On Thursday, NCP will hold an exchange of views with members of the families of martyrs in Golapganj at 11am. Central leaders of the party will attend the programme.