Dhaka, Aug 18 (UNB) – In the latest promotion in the police administration, 20 senior officials have been elevated to the rank of Additional Deputy Inspector General (Addl DIG) and given new postings.

The Public Security Division of the Home Ministry issued two notifications on Sunday in this regard.

The promoted police officials are additional DIG (Current charge) of River Police Md Habibur Rahman, deputy commissioner of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Tanvir Haider Chowdhury, deputy commissioner of Khulna Metropolitan Police SM Fazlur Rahman, assistant inspector general of police M Quamrul Ahsan, Special Branch superintendent of police (SP) Proloy Chisim, SB SP SM Ainul Bari, deputy commissioner of Barishal Metropolitan Police Habibur Rahman Khan, Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) SP Md Abul Kalam Azad, Naogaon SP Md Iqbal Hossain, Industrial Police SP Md Golam Rauf Khan, Telecom and Information Management SPs Md Shafiqul Islam and Mohammad Tobarak Ullah, assistant inspector general of police Shamima Begum, deputy commissioners of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Salma Begum, Miraz Uddin Ahmed and SM Mostaq Ahmed Khan, River Police SP AKM Ehsan Ullah, Dhaka district SP Shah Mizan Shafiur Rahman, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) SP Molla Nazrul Islam and Chandpur SP Jihadul Kabir. 

Dhaka, Aug 18 (UNB) – Twelve people, including six members of a family, were killed in road accidents in five districts on Sunday as the country reels from growing road fatalities since Eid-ul-Azha.

Of them, eight were killed in Cumilla alone in just one accident.

A bus crashed into an auto-rickshaw on Cumilla-Noakhali regional highway at Jamtola in Lalmai upazila of Cumilla at noon, killing at least eight people, including six members of a family.

The deceased were identified as Jashim Uddin, 47, a hotel owner, his mother Sakhina Begum, 70, wife Selina Begum, 42, two sons—Shipon, 22, and Hridoy, 18, and daughter Nipu Akter, 13, their hotel staff Saimun Hossain hailing from Nangalkot upazila, and auto-rickshaw driver Jamal Hossain, 22, of Laksam upazila in the district.

Family’s youngest member Rifat, 8, who is now the lone one, survived the accident with severe injuries. He was sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for better treatment.

The bus smashed the CNG-run auto-rickshaw around 12pm, leaving five three-wheeler passengers dead on the spot and four others injured, said Md Badrul Alam Talukdar, officer-in-charge of Lalmai Police Station. 

Three of the injured died while undergoing treatment at Baghmara Health Complex.

Police recovered the bodies and sent those to Comilla Medical College Hospital morgue.

In Dhaka, a man was killed in a road accident at Uttar Badda in the morning.

Shahidul Islam, 45, son of late Saidul Islam of Charikumarpara in Kalmakanda upazila of Netrakona district, was hit by an unknown vehicle, said Inspector Bachchu Mia of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) police camp.

In Laxmipur, Ibrahim, son of Abul Khayer of Laxmipur municipality area and an HSC first-year student, was killed as his motorbike fell into a ditch by JB Road in the morning. 

Md Azizur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station, said Ibrahim’s family bought the new motorcycle for him on Saturday afternoon although he was not experienced in driving it.

He went out with the motorbike in the morning and it fell into the ditch when he lost control over it, leaving him dead on the spot. 

On information, police recovered the body and handed it over to the family after a postmortem, the OC added. 

In Satkhira, a youth – Sagar Hossain, 25, son of Hafi Sardar of Nagarghata village in Patkelghata – was killed in an accident that took place in the district town in the evening. 

Locals said the deceased along with another youth was riding a motorcycle in the town. At one stage, their motorcycle hit a roadside pillar, leaving the duo critically injured. 
 
Being rescued, they were taken to Sadar Hospital where doctors pronounced Sagar dead. 

Mostafizur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Satkhira Sadar Police Station, confirmed the incident saying the body was kept at the hospital for autopsy. 

In Magura, a farmer – Biplab Majumdar, 45, of Nalia village – was killed in head-on collision between a human-hauler and a motorcycle in Shalikha upazila. 

Tariqul Islam, officer-in-charge of Shalikha Police Station, said Biplab got tangled between the two vehicles after the collision at Narapati.

Being rescued, he was taken to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, the OC said. 

Meanwhile, a bus plunged into a roadside ditch in Sadar upazila of Kishoreganj around 3pm, leaving 19 passengers injured. 

According to the Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity, a passengers' welfare platform, at least 224 people were killed and 886 others injured in 203 road accidents across the country in 12 days before and after the Eid-ul-Azha.

The road accidents took place on different national and regional highways from August 6 to August 17, according to a report prepared by the organisation.

Of the total dead and injured, 37 were drivers while 3 transport workers, 70 women, 22 children, 42 students, 3 journalists, 2 physicians, 8 law enforcers, 3 politicians and 900 others pedestrians.   

Placing the report at a press conference at Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU) in the city, Jatri Kalyan Samity secretary general Mozammel Haque Chowdhury said the number of road crashes and casualties saw a drop during his Eid vacation than that of last year. 

Dhaka, Aug 18 (UNB) – Two High Court benches on Sunday refused to hear a writ petition filed seeking judicial inquiry to find the reasons behind the unprecedented fall in the prices of rawhide of sacrificed animals this year.

The writ was first produced before the bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader and later that of Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Md Badruzzaman.

However, both the benches expressed their inability to hear the writ petition.

Supreme Court lawyer Mohiuddin Md Hanif filed the petition attaching a newspaper report with it in the morning.

He said the writ will be produced before another bench on Monday.

The writ sought a rule seeking explanation as to why inaction and failure of the authorities concerned to prevent the price slump should not be declared illegal.

It also sought explanation as to why the trade registrations of those behind the price fall should not be revoked.

Commerce and industries secretaries, chairman of Bangladesh Tanners Association and president of Bangladesh Hide and Skin Merchants Association were made respondents to the writ petition.

The petition was filed following a drastic fall in rawhide prices forcing the seasonal traders in different districts to throw away thousands of pieces of hides of cows, goats and buffaloes during Eid-ul-Azha.

Many also buried the rawhide under the ground failing to get the expected prices while others sold it at throwaway prices.

Cowhide was sold between Tk 100 and Tk 200 a piece this year whereas the usual price is around Tk 2,000.

Rangamati, Aug 18 (UNB) – An army member was killed in a gun attack by terrorists in Rajasthali upazila here on Sunday morning.

The victim was identified as Nasim, 19, a sepoy, said an ISPR release.

It said terrorists opened fire on a patrol team of Bangladesh Army at Poaitukhum, some 4 kms off Rajasthali Army Camp of Rangamati Region, around 10am, leaving Nasim injured.

He was airlifted to the Combined Military Hospital in Chattogram where he died while undergoing treatment, the release said, adding that the patrol was strengthened in the area and the security measures remained under the army’s control.

Meanwhile, officer-in-charge of Rajasthali Police Station M Mofzal Khan said another army man – sepoy Mahbubul – was also injured in the gun attack.

Besides, two other members – captain Mehdi and sepoy Mashiur -- suffered wounds when a landmine went off during a search in the area in the afternoon, he said.

The injured three were undergoing treatment at the Chattogram CMH, the OC added.

Dhaka, Aug 18 (UNB) – Law Minister Anisul Huq on Sunday urged all to remain alert about those who are hatching conspiracies against the country.   

“Conspirators are out to push Bangladesh 50 years back. Now, our job is to remain alert against them,” he said while addressing a discussion and doa mahfil arranged on the premises of Directorate of Registration in the city marking the 44th martyrdom anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The minister also called upon all to come forward to materialise Bangabandhu’s dream to build a ‘Sonar Bangla’ and bring smile on peoples’ faces. “We have responsibility towards him. We should repay his blood debt.”

He said Bangabandhu never compromised with anyone. “He had chosen the path of organised movement and difficult life. He didn’t do anything for himself. All he did had been for the country’s people.”