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Woman gang-raped on way home from wedding in Bagerhat; 5 arrested
A horrific incident of sexual assault occurred on the way back from a wedding ceremony in Mollahat upazila of Bagherhat. Late on Friday night, in the Ghatabila area of Mollahat Upazila, a deserted tin shed was used as the site for a brutal attack on a 19-year-old woman.
The victim, who was subjected to this assault, was rescued and sent for medical examination to Bagherhat 250-bed District Hospital on Saturday by the police.
In connection with the case, five individuals have been arrested by the police. The arrested individuals are Akram Sheikh, 19, son of Yusuf Sheikh of Kahalpur village in Mollahat Upazila, Rajib Sheikh,19, son of Chan Mia Sheikh, Sohag Molla, 18, son of Tarik Molla, Nasim Molla, 19, son of Bellal Molla, and Komeer Sheikh, 22, son of Shahjan Sheikh.
Dispute following rejected marriage proposal results in 1 death, multiple injuries
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Mollahat Police Station SM Ashraful Alam said that the victim, along with her husband and their one-and-a-half-year-old child, went to attend a wedding in Saraspur village of Mollahat Upazila on Friday night.
After the wedding ceremony, they (victim and her husband) were supposed to be taken back home by a separate motorcycle. While the husband was left behind, the assailants took the victim on a motorcycle, the OC said, adding that when they reached in Ghatabila area, they forcefully took her to a deserted tin shed and raped her.
Being informed, police rushed to the spot and rescued the victim from the assault and arrested four youths from the scene, said the OC.
Fire at tin-shed shanties in Dhaka’s Hazaribagh under control
Later, another individual was also apprehended, the police officer said, adding that the victim filed a case mentioning the names of eight individuals involved in the incident.
The police have launched a drive to arrest the remaining accused, who are relatives or acquaintances of the family hosting the wedding, the OC added.
Nation set to ring in Bengali New Year with Pahela Baishakh
The nation is set to celebrate Pahela Baishakh, the first day of Bangla calendar, on Sunday.
This festival, steeped in tradition for centuries, marks the start of the year 1431 in the Bangla calendar.
Dhaka will transform into a vibrant stage. The iconic Mangal Shobhajatra procession winds through the city. This UNESCO-recognized parade features floats depicting Bengali myths and legends, accompanied by music and dance.
Three-day ‘Boisabi’ festival begins in Khagrachhari
Cities and towns across the country will hold processions and cultural programs.
Dhaka University is all set to welcome the Bengali New Year with the vibrancy and festivity.
Dhaka University and its Faculty of Fine Arts (FFA), better known as Charukala, have taken preparations to observe this year’s Pahela Baishakh.
Pahela Baishakh's roots run deep. For hundreds of years, Bengalis have used this festival to welcome fresh beginnings and mark the harvest season. Traditionally, it's a time for businesses to open new account books, symbolizing prosperity in the year ahead.
3 young friends dead in head-on crash between motorbikes
A devastating accident on the Zakiganj-Sylhet highway in the Shahbag Muhipur area under Zakiganj upazila, Sylhet resulted in the death of three young friends and injuries to two others last night.
The deceased were identified as Adil Hossain, 20, son of Aftar Ali; Zakaria Ahmed, 21, son of Zomir Ali; and Milon Ahmed, 20, son of Subhan Ali, all residents of Madarkhal village in the Khala Chadra union of Zakiganj. The tragic incident occurred just one day after the celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr.
According to police reports, the trio was riding on one motorcycle when they collided head-on with another motorcycle traveling in the opposite direction on the Sylhet-Zakiganj road. The impact of the crash left all three friends critically injured.
Local witnesses immediately transported the victims to a nearby hospital, where Adil Hossain and Zakaria Ahmed were pronounced dead upon arrival. Milon Ahmed was quickly transferred to Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital due to his severe condition but succumbed to his injuries early Saturday morning.
Zakiganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Jabed Mahmud stated that the bodies have been moved to Sylhet MAG Osmani Hospital morgue for autopsy. The bodies will be released to their families after the necessary legal procedures are completed, OC Mahmud added.
The identities of the two injured individuals could not be immediately confirmed, but they are currently receiving medical treatment at Osmani Hospital.
Dispute following rejected marriage proposal results in 1 death, multiple injuries
A tragic incident unfolded in Mollahat upazila, Bagerhat, where a disagreement over a marriage proposal led to violence, resulting in the death of a would-be groom's relative and injuries to over 15 people. The altercation took place on Friday evening in Mollahat upazila of Bagherhat.
The deceased, 45-year-old Azizul Haque Molla from Ichhamati village in nearby Terkhada upazila, Khulna district, was the brother-in-law of the prospective groom, Hafizur Rahman. In response to the incident, police have detained the would-be bride’s father, Shahadat Munshi, and her cousin, Swapna Khatun.
Mohammad Ali Gazi, father of the would-be groom, explained the sequence of events that led to the violence. "Our family approached Shahadat Munshi for his daughter’s hand in marriage for my son, Hafizur. We visited their home in Gangni village, about 10 km from our residence, under the agreement that if Hafizur approved of the match, the marriage would proceed," Gazi said.
He added that the visit turned sour when Hafizur decided against the marriage, and the party was ambushed by the would-be bride's neighbours as they left.
Azizul Haque Molla sustained fatal injuries during the attack, and fifteen others, including Hafizur, were also hurt. The body of the deceased has been sent to Bagerhat Sadar Hospital morgue for an autopsy.
Following the incident, Shila Begum, Molla's widow, filed a police complaint. Mollahat Police Station Officer-in-Charge SM Ashraful Alam confirmed the ongoing efforts to capture other individuals involved in the assault.
Three-day ‘Boisabi’ festival begins in Khagrachhari
The three-day long traditional ‘Boisabi Festival’ of the people of different ethnic communities in Khagrachhari began on Friday.
The first day of the festival, known as ‘Phul Biju’, is celebrated by Chakma, Tripura, Marma communities by decorating their houses with flowers and also immersing them in rivers seeking blessings from the Mother Ganga.
The celebration began by immersing flowers in Chengi river in the town’s Khabangpuria area by the local Tripura community.
Baisabi is considered to be the major cultural festival of 14 ethnic minority communities who speak in 11 languages.
Meanwhile, the Tripura community will also celebrate their ‘Boisu’ festival on Saturday on the day of Chaitra-Sankranti and the Marma community will celebrate traditional ‘Sangrai’ or ‘pani khela’ on April 14.
Through the 'Sangrai' festival, the current year is seen off and the new year is welcomed.
Like every year, the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Affairs Ministry arranged the Boisabi Festival-2024 in the capital on Friday.
A colourful procession with the participation of hundreds of people from several communities of the CHT but live in the capital was brought out from Sheikh Hasina Chattogram Hill Tracts Heritage Preservation and Research Centre and it ended at Ramna Park Lake after parading several points.
As the organiser of the festival, senior officials and employees of the CHT ministry attended the Baisabi Festival rally.
Secretary to the minister Md Mashiur Rahman inaugurated the rally as the chief guest.
Fire at tin-shed shanties in Dhaka’s Hazaribagh under control
A fire that broke out in a tin-shed slum in Jhaocharer Moar of Hazaribagh area in Dhaka on Friday noon was brought under control around one hour after the fire erupted.
Anwarul Islam, warehouse inspector of Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) headquarters, confirmed the matter saying that they brought the ablaze around 12:40 pm, around one hour after the fire.
Earlier around 11:50 am, the fire started in one of the tin-shed houses of the slum engulfing other houses within a short time.
Being informed, seven firefighting units from several stations rushed to the spot and were trying to bring the flame under control, he said, adding that finally the fire is now under control.
The reason behind the fire and damages caused by it could not be known immediately, the inspector added.
6 of a family burnt in fire in Dhaka’s Bhashantek
Six members including two minors of a family sustained severe burn injuries in a fire suspected to be originated from a mosquito coil in Paschim Bhashantek area of Dhaka early Friday.
The victims were identified as Md Liton, 52, his wife Surjo Banu, 40, mother-in-law Meherunnesa, 65, daughters Liza, 18, Lamia, 7, and son Sujon, 8.
All the injured were admitted to Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka, said the institute’s resident surgeon Dr Tariqul Islam.
Of the injured, Liton sustained 67 percent burn, Banu 82 percent, Meherunnesa 47 percent, Liza 30 percent, Lamia 55 percent and Sujon 43 percent, said the physician.
Neighbour Moyna Banu said victim Liton used to live with his family on the ground floor of a two-storey building on Culvert Road in Paschim Bhashantek area. He runs a business of electronic appliances and furniture in the area.
The kitchen and other rooms of the flat were covered with gas as mice might have cut off the gas cylinder's pipe, she said.
A fire broke out with a big bang when Liton was about to ignite the coil, leaving all the family members injured, the neighbour said.
Hearing screams, locals rushed and took them to the burn institute, she added.
Car catches fire on Dhaka Elevated Expressway
A car went up in flames on the Dhaka Elevated Expressway in the capital on Thursday afternoon.
No casualties were reported in the incident.
The incident took place around 5:17pm near the Kuril Bishwa Road area on Eid-ul-Fitr day.
"Two firefighting units from Kurmitola Fire Station brought the fire under control at around 5:45pm," said Mohammad Safiqul Islam, deputy assistant director Fire Service and Civil Defence, Dhaka (Zone-03).
It was not immediately known what caused the fire, said the officer.
BIWTA forms probe committee over launch accident at Sadarghat terminal
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has formed a three-member committee to investigate the launch accident that left five people dead on Thursday afternoon.
The committee headed by BIWTA Director (Purchase and Conservation) Md Rafiqul Islam has been asked to submit a report within 5 working days, said Md Jahangir Alam Khan, senior information and public relations officer of the Shipping Ministry.
The other members of the committee are Joint Director of Naval Conservation and Management Department Md Azgar Ali and Joint Director of Port Branch Md Kabir Hossain.
Earlier around 2:54 pm, five people, including a woman and child, were killed after the rope of a launch snapped at Dhaka's Sadarghat terminal.
"Two launches, MV Tusharif 4 and MV Pubali 1, were tied to the pontoon with ropes. When another launch named Farhan 4 tried to enter between the two launches, the rope of MV Tusharif 4 tore."
On impact, four people died on the spot and the child on the way to the hospital, said Alamgir Kabir, joint director of BIWTA and incharge of Sadarghat river port.
Teen dies by elephant attack at Mirpur Zoo
A 17-year-old boy died after being attacked by an elephant at the National Zoo in Dhaka's Mirpur this morning.
The deceased was identified as Zahid, son of Azad Ali. Azad Ali is a mahout of the zoo and a resident of Moulvibazar's Kulaura upazila.
This incident happened on Thursday around 11 am, said Dr. Rafiqul Islam Talukder, director at the Zoo.
He said mahout Azad Ali entered inside the elephant cage with his son Zahid. Suddenly, one of the five elephants attacked Zahid, leaving him seroiusly injured.
But Zahid's father Azad Ali, did not inform the matter to the authorities and left for Kulaura with his son.
Zahid died on the way to the Kulaura, added the director.