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Tragic drowning claims lives of 2 children in Thakurgaon's Kulik River
Two children drowned in the Kulik River near the Khajana area of Ranisankail upazila, Thakurgaon on Sunday afternoon.
The victims were identified as 10-year-old Yasmin, daughter of Ibrahim of Khajana village, and 8-year-old Taslima, daughter of Yusuf Ali from the Dinajpur Sadar area.
Taslima, who had arrived in Khajana from Dinajpur just the day before to visit her uncle, tragically lost her life alongside her cousin Yasmin while they were playing near the river. Abul Kalam, chairman of Lehembha Union Parishad, confirmed the news of their deaths.
According to local residents and family members, the two girls were playing next to a neighbour’s house when they ventured unnoticed into the river to bathe. After a disappearance noticed by family members, a frantic search ensued. The search ended tragically when the bodies of Yasmin and Taslima were discovered in the river.
The bodies were subsequently retrieved and returned to their grieving families. Sohel Rana, Officer-in-Charge of the Ranisankail Police Station, stated that police were promptly notified and attended the scene to assist in the handover of the bodies to their respective families.
8 more dengue patients hospitalised in 24hrs
No fresh death due to dengue was reported in Bangladesh in the 24 hours till Sunday morning, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
However, eight patients were hospitalised across the country with viral fever during this period, according to the DGHS.
Of them, five were admitted to several hospitals in Dhaka, while the rest were outside the capital.
So far, 1,831 dengue cases have been reported since January 1, 2024.
Last year, a total of 1,705 people lost their lives due to dengue, making it the deadliest year on record.
The DGHS recorded 321,179 dengue cases and 3, 18,749 recoveries last year.
Last year’s September was the deadliest month for the dengue outbreak, with 396 fatalities and 79,598 cases, according to DGHS data.
Retired army personnel dies in road accident in Rajshahi
In a tragic road incident, Ashraful Islam Bipul, a 47-year-old retired army personnel, was killed when a speeding trolley collided with his motorbike.
The accident occurred on the Sultanpur-Bilmaria road near the Maharajpur area in Bagha Upazila of Rajshahi, on Sunday noon.
Bipul, a resident of the same upazila, had retired from military service approximately five months ago. Officer-in-Charge of Bagha Police Station, Aminul Islam, reported that the collision happened around 12:30 pm, severely injuring Bipul. The power trolley struck his motorbike, causing critical injuries, OC Islam explained.
Eyewitnesses and local residents promptly responded, transporting him to the Lalpur Upazila Health Complex. Despite their swift actions, the attending physicians pronounced him dead upon arrival.
Three workers suffocate in septic tank in Brahmanbaria
Three young workers perished on Sunday while cleaning a septic tank without any protective gear in Gutma village, Nasirnagar upazila of Brahmanbaria district.
The victims, identified as Alam Miah, 26, Samrat Miah, 22, and Chunnu Mia, 24, were residents of the upazila and were engaged in maintenance work at an under-construction site owned by Abdul Ahad.
The tragedy unfolded between 9 and 9:30 am when the trio descended into the tank. After receiving no communication from them for about an hour, a concerned Ahad alerted the local police and fire services. Nasirnagar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md. Sohag Rana detailed the recovery efforts, stating that firefighters retrieved the bodies sequentially from the tank. The absence of oxygen inside the sealed environment is the apparent cause of death, he added.
The bodies have since been moved to the police station and are awaiting release to their families after the necessary legal formalities are completed.
Let the Bengali New Year begin with new possibilities and hopes: Environment Minister Saber
Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury today wished that the Bengali New Year will begin with colourful dreams of new possibilities and hope.
He said that past mistakes should be left behind and everyone should move towards a better future.
Minister Saber made the remarks during a speech at a function organised on the occasion of private broadcast media outlet Ekushey Television's 25th anniversary at Karwan Bazar in the capital.
The environment minister said an organisation gains popularity through the labour, the talent, and the sacrifices of many.
Facing many setbacks, overcoming many ups and downs, Ekushey Television has gained popularity, he said, urging Ekushey Television to work on increasing public awareness on environmental protection of the country.
He wished and congratulated everyone associated with the private television.
Minister for Liberation War Affairs A.K.M. Mozammel Haque, Textiles and Jute Minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak; Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Samanta Lal Sen, Minister of State for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat, Member of Parliament Aroma Dutta and Chief Executive Officer of Ekushey Television Pijush Bandyopadhyay, among others, spoke on the occasion.
COVID-19: Bangladesh reports nine more cases in 24hrs
Bangladesh reported nine more COVID-19 cases in 24 hours till Sunday morning.
With the new numbers, the country's total COVID-19 caseload rose to 2,049,728, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The official death toll from the disease remained unchanged at 29,493 as no new fatalities were reported during this period.
The daily case test positivity rate was 3.31 percent as 272 samples were tested, said the DGHS.
The recovery and death rates stood at 98.41 percent and 1.44 per cent, respectively.
Previous experience used to rescue MV Abdullah, crew: KSRM
KSRM Group, the owner of MV Abdullah, has claimed that the ship and its 23 crew members were safely released through negotiations with the pirates, using the experience of the 2011 hostage situation involving their ship “Jahan Moni”.
"Our other ship 'Jahan Moni' was hijacked in 2011. It took us a long time to rescue the ship because we lacked experience. However, using that experience, we were able to quickly rescue MV Abdullah this time,” said Meherul Karim, CEO of KSRM Group, at a press conference held at the company's office at 12:00 pm in Chattogram’s city’s Agrabad Goasail Danga on Sunday.
Pirates freed hijacked ship, sailors for international pressure, negotiations: Khalid
He added that all the sailors and crew of the ship are safe and sound. No one was harmed. However, when asked about the ransom, Meherul Karim declined to comment.
Earlier on Saturday night around 12 am, the Somali pirates freed the ship along with its 23 sailors. The ship owner confirmed the release of the ship to the Bangladeshi media at 3:45 am.
Hijacked ship MV Abdullah released with 23 sailors
Describing the process of rescuing the ship, Meherul said, "We were constantly tracking the ship's position since it was hijacked. We were monitoring where it was being taken from time to time. A few days after the hostage-taking, one of the pirates who could speak English started contacting us. We also started communicating from our side, following all international protocols. This is how MV Abdullah was released after a successful month-long communication."
He added that, "Two days ago, we took videos of each crew member of our ship to confirm their safety. All the rules were followed. There were 65 pirates on the ship. On Saturday around 3 am, the ship's captain informed me that the pirates had disembarked from the ship in a speedboat."
When journalists asked the KSRM CEO about the ransom, he said, "I apologise. I can't tell you anything about any ransom. We have an agreement with everyone on this issue. I can't go out of the agreement.”
Shahariar Jahan Rahat, Deputy Managing Director of KSRM Group, said at the press conference, "We have to keep some things confidential. We cannot promote piracy." He added that if the amount of ransom money is disclosed, it will be legitimized.
Shahariar said MV Abdullah will reach Dubai on April 19 or 20. The sailors and crew will then return to Bangladesh by flight or ship. He said that the decision on how they will return to the country will be taken after talking to the sailors and crew.
Earlier on Sunday, State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said at a press conference that the news and pictures being circulated about ransom are not true. The sailors were released through extensive international pressure and negotiations. It may take 15 to 20 days for them to return.
Pirates freed hijacked ship, sailors for international pressure, negotiations: Khalid
State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury on Sunday said the Bangladeshi cargo ship MV Abdullah and its 23 sailors were released from the clutches of Somali pirates through international pressure and negotiations.
He added that he had no information about the pirates being paid ransom.
Hijacked ship MV Abdullah released with 23 sailors
Khalid said this while talking to reporters at his Minto Road residence in the capital on Sunday (April 14). The Bangladeshi sailors were released after 31 days.
The Bangladeshi ship and sailors were captured by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean on March 12.
"We have no involvement in money or ransom. We have no information that the ship was released by paying money. Many are showing different types of pictures, none of these pictures are true. We do not know where these pictures are coming from, how they are coming,” said the state minister.
"As far as it has been done, our Department of Shipping, various international organisations, the European Navy, the Indian Navy, the Somali Police… I want to thank the Puntland Police of Somalia; they have been cooperating with us all the time. The wings of the International Maritime Organisation have been very helpful to us."
"We have been negotiating with the pirates for a long time. There is no question of ransom here. We had discussions and various types of pressures were given. Those pressures have also worked here."
“They (the pirates) also had their own security concerns. The pressure was on them all the time,” added Khalid.
"It had gone to an extreme, that's why they got off the ship (there). And the pressure was so much, that when they took control of the ship, there were 20 pirates. Yesterday, when they left the ship, there were already around 65 pirates on board. You have to understand, how much pressure they underwent in the mainland. Everyone left there (the ship) together yesterday. They were surrounded within two nautical miles. The other fleets (various forces) were in position when they left,” he also said.
"Our Department of Shipping was talking to them at that time and helped them to leave, by moving the fleets a little further away,” said the state minister.
Describing it as a huge operation, Khalid said, "If we put all the emails we have sent together, those will fill a big basket. We had to keep corresponding every moment. Everyone has realised that we were so prompt and so serious."
The Department of Shipping will take steps to prevent such unwanted incidents from happening in the future, added.
Flights from Tel Aviv part of bilateral air agreements with US, transporting RMG: CAAB
No Israeli flight or plane has landed in Bangladesh, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) clarified in a statement issued today.
The statement was published following recent reports in social and some mainstream media on the matter.
DMP bolsters security measures for Pahela Boishakh celebrations
Two flights of American National Airlines took off from Tel Aviv Airport on April 7 and landed in Dhaka Airport in order to ship Bangladeshi -made garments to Europe and Middle East, reads the statement signed by Mohammad Sohel Kamruzzaman, deputy director (public relations) of CAAB.
The flights, carrying Bangladeshi RMG products, departed Dhaka Airport on April 12.
No respite from air pollution during Eid holiday: Dhaka’s air quality 2nd worst in the world this morning
The flights were operated as part of bilateral agreements between Bangladesh and the United States, and Israeli authorities were not a stakeholder, clarified the statement.
Two youths killed in Rajshahi road crash
Two youths were killed and two others were injured in a head-on collision between a motorcycle and a battery-run auto-rickshaw in Bagha upazila of Rajshahi on Friday night.
The deceased were identified as Rony Sheikh, 24, son of Yunus Sheikh of Koligram of the upazila and Raju Ahmed, 20.
The injured were identified as Abdus Sattar, 21, son of Shahidul Islam and Duronto Hossain, 17, son of Milon Hossain of Chaknarayanpur village. They were admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.
Man stabs 6 people to death at busy Sydney shopping centre before being shot by police
Aminul Islam, officer-in-charge of Bagha Police Station, said three friends were coming to Narayanpur from the road on the bank of the Padma with a motorcycle. When they reached in front of the roadside saw mill, they collided head-on with a battery-run auto-rickshaw coming from the other side.
Rakib Ahmed, a doctor at Bagha Upazila Health Complex, said Rony died on the spot and Raju died around 10pm at RMCH Hospital.
No case has been filed with the police station in this regard, said the OC.
The bodies were handed over to their families, he added.