Bangladesh
Snatching gold bars: 5 Feni DB officials remanded again
A court in Feni on Wednesday placed five suspended DB officials on a 3-day remand again in a case over snatching 20 gold bars from a businessman on Dhaka-Chattogram Highway on August 8.
They are sub-inspectors Motaher Hossain, Mizanur Rahman, Nurul Haque and assistant sub-inspectors Abhijit Barua and Masud Rana.
The court of Feni Senior Judicial Magistrate Kamrul Hasan passed the order after investigation officer of the case Monir Hossain produced the accused before seeking a 7-day remand for them after expiry of their three-day remand.
They were initially remanded for three days on August 11, said Golam Jilani, a police inspector posted at Feni court.
Also read: Six detectives rob bizman of 20 gold bars in Feni, held
DB inspector Md Saiful Islam Bhuyian is currently on a 4-day remand in the same case and is scheduled to be produced before the court within the next few days.
Besides, a source within Feni Police requesting anonymity told UNB that the investigation of the case has been handed over to the Police Bureau of investigation (PBI).
However, a separate source claimed that no official letter has been issued over the matter yet.
Contacted, Deputy Inspector General Of Police, Chattogram Range Anwar Hossain said, “ An application has been sent to the court seeking its order to transfer the case to PBI. Final decision on the matter would be made upon receiving the court’s directive.”
Six sleuths of the detective branch of Feni police were arrested on Tuesday night for allegedly robbing a businessman of 20 gold bars worth Tk 1.24 crore.
Also read: Cattle trader refuses to pay protection money, shot dead in Feni
Some 15 of the 20 looted gold bars have been recovered from the possession of the accused, police said on Wednesday.
However, the remaining 5 gold bars were not recovered as of filing this report on Saturday night.
Khandaker Nurunnabi, superintendent of Feni police, said the arrests were made following a complaint against them by businessman Gopal Kanti Das.
As per the complaint, the six detectives intercepted Gopal's car on the road under Fatehpur flyover on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway while he was on his way to Dhaka with 20 gold bars on August 8.
Later, the accused looted the gold bars from Gopal and left the spot.
A robbery case was filed against the six at the Feni model police station.
Nanny confesses to killing infant at state-run orphanage in Sylhet
The accused staffer of a state-run orphanage- ‘Chotomoni Nibas’ in Sylhet- has given a confessional statement in the murder case of a two-month-old infant Friday.
Sultana Ferdousi Siddiqa, employed by the Department of Social Services as a nanny, gave her statement after police produced her before Sylhet Metropolitan Court of magistrate Saifur Rahman and prayed for remand, said officer-in-charge of Kotwali police station SM Abu Farhad.
On Friday, Sultana was arrested in a murder case filed by Sub-inspector of the police station Mahbubul Alam Mandal.
Also read: Nanny at state-run orphanage suffocated 2-month-old to death: CCTV
Chhotomoni Nibas is a state-run orphanage located in Bagbari of Sylhet city run by the Department of Social Services.
According to police sources, closed-circuit camera footage of July 22 captured the disturbing footage of Sultana throwing the crying infant, Nabil Ahmed, out of his bed before shockingly suffocating him to death with a pillow.
Later, she tried to destroy the evidence of the murder with the help of other staffs and officials of the orphanage, said police.
On July 24 , a case of Unnatural Death was filed at the police station to cover up the incident. The murder of Nabil was buried with his body after a post-mortem.
On August 12, the case called attention of Deputy-Commissioner of SMP Azbahar Ali Sheikh and he immediately rushed to the orphanage with OC Abu Farhad and investigation officer of the case SI Mahbub.
Also read: Four children drown on Eid day
As the incident of murder became evident from the CCTV footage, DC immediately asked to arrest the nanny.
Police said legal action will be taken against the authorities of the orphanage upon investigation as they were also involved in hiding the murder.
However, deputy director of Sylhet Social Service department Nibas Dash claimed no one tried to hide the murder as Sultana was immediately removed from her post, and a case was filed with the police station to investigate the matter.
The CCTV footage was also salvaged and handed to police, he said.
Director of the department Shandip Kumar Singha said finding the involvement of the nanny in a primary investigation, a report was sent to Dhaka office for taking action against her.
Identity of orphan Nabil
OC SM Abu Farhad said on June 12 Gowainghat station police handed over the then one month old orphan to Chotomoni Nibas, after he was born to a mentally ill homeless woman.
At the orphanage, he was named Nabil Ahmed and nanny Sultana Ferdousi Siddiqa was given the responsibility of taking care of him.
On the morning of July 23, Nabil was found dead in his bed.
Aug 15: Remembering the Father of the Nation on anniversary of martyrdom
The nation will observe the National Mourning Day with a heavy heart on Sunday, commemorating the 46th anniversary of the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will lead the nation in paying homage to the Father of the Nation followed by the people of all strata marking the day with due reverence and solemnity.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman – the architect of the country’s independence -- was assassinated along with most of his family members at the dawn of August 15, 1975 by a cabal of army personnel following a deep-rooted conspiracy against the country and its independence.
His two daughters -- Sheikh Hasina, now the prime minister, and Sheikh Rehana -- survived the massacre as they were abroad at that time.
Eighteen members of the family along with Bangabandhu’s wife Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib, three sons -- Captain Sheikh Kamal, Lt Sheikh Jamal and Sheikh Russell--, two daughters-in-law -- Sultana Kamal and Rosy Jamal --, brother Sheikh Naser, peasant leader Abdur Rob Serniabat, youth leader Sheikh Fazlul Haq Moni and his wife Arzu Moni, Baby Serniabat, Sukanta Babu, Arif and Abdul Nayeem Khan Rintu were killed on the fateful night.
Bangabandhu’s Military Secretary Col Jamil Uddin Ahmad (Bir Uttam), who was later promoted posthumously to the rank of Brigadier General, was also killed during the massacre. Some members of a family at Mohammadpur in the capital were killed by artillery shells fired by the killers on the same day.
The day is a public holiday.
The Prime Minister will pay homage to the Father of the Nation by placing wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu in front of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi Road No 32 in the morning.
Tributes will also be paid to Bangabandhu by placing wreaths at his Mazar at Tungipara in Gopalganj district.
The government, different socio-cultural, political and professional organisations, including ruling Awami League and its associate bodies, will also mark the day with various programmes maintaining social distancing rules due to the prevalence of coronavirus.
Special munajats will be offered in all mosques across the country while special prayers will be arranged in temples, pagodas, churches and other worship places across the country.
Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television and private TV channels and radio stations will air special programmes highlighting the life, struggle and achievements of the great leader while newspapers will be publishing special supplements on the occasion.
The national flag will remain hoisted at half-mast government, autonomous, semi-autonomous, educational institutions, private buildings and Bangladesh missions abroad.
Bangladesh missions abroad will also observe the day with elaborate programmes.
DMP tightens security
Police are on high alert to ensure the foolproof security ahead of the National Mourning Day, said DMP Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam on Saturday.
“Though there’s no security threat ahead of August 15, but we can’t rule out any possibility,” said the DMP chief while talking to reporters after checking the overall security at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32.
“August 15 is an important day and the militants may try to carry out subversive activities in the two-km area of the programme venue if they fail to carry out an attack on the location in a bid to draw attention of the international media. But we think no such incident will happen,” he said.
Gasping for breath Sylhet woman dies in ambulance after futile search for an ICU bed
Piara Begum, a 38-year-old woman, had been taken to three hospitals in a day in a futile search for an ICU bed as her Covid infection worsened. Finally, she perished inside an ambulance gasping for breath.
“Piara has been suffering from fever and cold for the last several days and she showed all symptoms of Covid. On Friday, her condition deteriorated and we took her to Sylhet North East Medical College and Hospital first. But getting no ICU bed here we took her to ParkView Medical College and Hospital where the situation was the same,” said M Mujibur Rahman, a relative of the woman.
“Later we took Piara to Al Haramain Hospital but we found no bed. As were taking her to another hospital she breathed her last in the ambulance that was carrying her,” he said.
Piara’s tragic death reflects the Covid patients’ grim struggle to get an ICU bed when they need it most.
Read: Covid-19: Bangladesh reports 178 more deaths, 6,885 new cases
All hospitals in Sylhet have got fully occupied raising a health service scare for the authorities.
As the number of patients with severe conditions increased, panicked family members were seen rushing from one hospital to another in search of available ICU beds.
The death rate in Sylhet has increased due to the ICU bed crisis.
The health authorities, wishing not to be named, said there is no scope for the ICUs to remain vacant as the beds available are fewer than the demand. Many people have been kept waiting for an ICU bed and an ICU bed become available when a patient dies or recovers from the virus.
Sylhet division logged as many as 343 fresh Covid cases in 24 hours on Saturday. So far, 48,452 people have been infected with Covid-19 in this district with a 32.64 % infection rate.
Besides, 11 more Covid-related deaths have been recorded in Sylhet division during the 24- hour period, officials said.
Read: 8,873 general, 565 ICU beds available for Covid patients
Of the total deaths, ten died in Sylhet and one in Sunamganj district, raising the death toll from the virus in the division to 883.
Dr Himangshu Lal Roy, director (health-Sylhet division), said 477 people have recovered from the virus, bringing the total number of recoveries to 36,172.
Currently, 540 people are undergoing treatment with Covid symptoms in Corona hospitals of the division, he said.
A resident of Abdullahpur in Osmaninagar upazila of the district.
Covid-19: Bangladesh reports 178 more deaths, 6,885 new cases
With Covid-19 vaccine jabs still remaining off the peak in Bangladesh, the country reported 178 more coronavirus-related deaths and 6,885 fresh infections in 24 hours till Saturday Morning.
The fresh numbers took the country’s death tally to 23,988 while the total cases mounted to 1,412,218, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The new infections were detected after testing 33,330 samples, bringing down the case positivity rate slightly to 20.66% from Friday’s 20.88%.
Meanwhile, the case fatality rate increased to 1.70% from yesterday’s 1.68% during the period.
Also read: Maintain health protocols to beat Covid: Health Minister
Besides, the recovery rate rose to 90.62%, with 7,805 new patients recovered from the infection
Barishal City Corporation dismisses 12 officials over corruption
Authorities at Barishal City Corporation sacked 12 officials over corruption charges, its public relation officer said Saturday.
The dismissal letters were sent to the officials on Thursday but Chief Executive Officer Sayed Faruque Hossain denied having any detailed information about the action.
Read: 'Red zones' in Barishal remain abuzz
Public relation officer Swapan Kumar Dash confirmed the news to UNB and said a media release will soon be issued in this regard soon.
The dismissed officers are chief health officer Dr Abdul Matin, executive engineer Humayun Kabir, assistant engineer of power division Kazi Monirul Islam, mechanical engineer Komol and Jahirul Islam, chief assessor Md Ajam, PR officer Md Romel, accountant Md Mainuddin, assets officer Mahbubur Rahman Shakil, legal assistant Rafikul Islam, office assistant Abdus Salam and Hayetul Islam.
Read: Corruption case: Former Barishal mayor gets seven-year
The affected officers claimed that no reason for dismissal was mentioned in the letters sent to them.
Abdus Salam, an assistant at accounts department, said the letter he received said three month’s salary has been credited but he didn’t receive any. Moreover his salary for the last 15 month is due with the BCC, he said.
Assistant engineer Kazi Monirul Islam said the suspension was done irregularly bringing false corruption charges against him.
The dismissed twelve officers were posted On Special Duty (OSD) from January 29, 2019.
According to the decision taken at a meeting of the fourth council on August 23, 2020, the twelve officials were dismissed permanently with three month salary paid, according to a letter signed by the chief executive officer of BCC.
Earlier on August 29, 2020, BCC also permanently suspended chief budget and accounting officer Md Moshiur Rahman, trade license superintendent Aziz Shahin, market superintendent Nurul Islam and deputy assistant engineer Abul Kalam Azad over corruption.
With this, 16 staff and officers lost their jobs at Barishal City Corporation for alleged involvement in corruption.
257 more dengue patients hospitalized in 24 hrs: DGHS
Amid the rise in Dengue cases, 257 new patients were admitted to different hospitals in 24 hours till Saturday morning.
Among the new patients, 219 were admitted to government and private hospitals in Dhaka.
The dengue outbreak has become a cause of major concern as country is battling the deadlier Delta variant of coronavirus with its limited medicare facilities for the last few months.
Also read: Shattered by Covid, Bangladesh now awaits a dengue blow
So far, 24 suspected dengue deaths were reported to the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) but it is yet to confirm any death from dengue, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Some 1,040 patients diagnosed with dengue are receiving treatment in the country as of Saturday morning, according to the DGHS.
Most of the cases have been reported in the capital so far, said the health authorities.
Of them, 954 patients are receiving treatment at different hospitals in the capital while the rest were listed outside Dhaka.
Bangladesh started seeing an uptrend in dengue cases from June. It started seeing over 200 Dengue cases every day since August 1.
Also read: Photos showing how hospitals in Bangladesh struggling with dengue patients amid covid surge
Some 5,902 patients have been admitted to different hospitals with dengue since January, and 4,838 of them have been released after they recovered from the disease.
Dengue fever was first reported in Bangladesh in 2000, claiming 93 lives that year. In the years that followed, the country learned to deal with the disease much better, but it did become endemic. Fatalities almost fell to zero at one stage, before spiking again in 2018, leading to the horrific crisis the following year.
No vaccine crisis in the country, says Quader
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Saturday trashed the criticism against the recent mass vaccination campaign describing the drive as effective and successful.
Quader, who is also general secretary of Awami League, said this while addressing a discussion meeting organized by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University on the occasion of National Mourning Day this morning.
He asserted that there is no crisis of Covid jabs in the country and there won’t be in future.
Also read: Dhaka to receive 10 lakh Sinopharm vaccine doses shortly
"All that is being said about the implementation and delivery of the mass vaccination programme is unacceptable. Vaccines are currently coming from different countries and sources and it will continue to come in the next six months," he assured.
Solar posts will soon light up hilly roads in Moulvibazar, says minister
Solar light posts are being installed on 28-km Juri-Baralekha road in Moulvibazar district to light up the hilly tracks and reduce road accidents, said Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md. Shahab Uddin.
The 30 watts solar lights are being installed at 373 important points from Bhuiya Bazar in Juri upazila to Chandagram Bazar in Baralekha upazila, said a media release Saturday.
Read:Is solar power the solution to Bangladesh's growing energy needs
The project has been funded Tk 5 crore by Climate Change Trust under the ministry of environment, forests and climate Change.
Major aims of the project are to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as urbanising rural areas.
The minister, who is an MP from the area, said as part of the implementation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's 'Village will be City' plan, solar lights are being provided on roads in remote rural areas of the country.
He also said that the widespread use of fossil fuels is increasing the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere which is responsible for global warming. To this end, the government is implementing initiatives to generate electricity using various types of renewable energy, including solar power.
Read: Renewable energy: 40% target 'ambitious, but roadmap absent'
“Solar power has been provided in different parts of the country with the funding of Bangladesh Climate Change Trust,” he added.
Solar lights will be installed in phases in all the areas of the country, the release said.
Maintain health protocols to beat Covid: Health Minister
Maintaining health guidelines, taking vaccine shots and wearing masks are now the only means to prevent the Covid-19 spread in Bangladesh as all the restrictions have been lifted fully, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Saturday.
The minister said this while attending a seminar on the 46th death anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the National Mourning Day in the city.
The restrictions imposed for containing the transmission have been lifted in order to save people’s lives and livelihoods, said minister Maleque.
Also read: 54 lakh more vaccine doses to arrive by Aug 15: Minister