bangladesh
2 indigenous men drown in Rangamati
The bodies of two indigenous men were recovered from the Kachalong river in Baghaichhari upazila of Rangamati district on Thursday morning, a day after they drowned in the river.
The deceased were identified as Shukar Chakma, 32, and Chirojyoti Chakma, 42, of the upazila.
Read:Flash flood submerges fresh areas in Sherpur; Child drowns
Locals said the duo drowned while fishing in the river on Wednesday. The divers of fire service failed to rescue them after conducting an operation.
Some residents of Rupkari union spotted Shukar’s body near Bijoy ghat area and Chirojyoti’s body in Golachhari area around 6am today, said Baghaichhari Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rumana Akhter.
The bodies were handed over to their respective families after completing legal procedures, she added.
‘Cha’ unit MCQ test results published
The MCQ test results of ‘Cha’ unit under Fine Arts faculty of Dhaka University have been published on Thursday.
The results are available on university website admission.eis.du.ac.bd or can be collected through short message service (SMS).
Read: DU holds 'Cha' unit admission test
For SMS notification of the results, a candidate will have to type DU CHA [exam roll] and send it to 16321.
This year, a total of 7,440 students applied against 130 seats of 'Cha' unit of which only 1500 students were selected for drawing test scheduled to be held on July 2.
Earlier on June 17, the MCQ test of Cha unit was held in eight divisions of the country.
Abdul Monem Ltd to provide support to flood affected people in Sylhet
Coca-Cola Bangladesh, through its franchise bottling partne Abdul Monem Limited, has donated 120,000 bottles of Kinley mineral water to the people in the flood-hit areas of Sylhet.
The company is closely working with the Bangladesh Army and local hospitals to ensure that the right people are receiving the water bottles in Sylhet, Moulvibazar and Shunamgonj, said a media release on Thursday.
Read: A week on, flood-hit people of Kurigram cry for relief
Abdul Monem Limited Spokesperson said, “Our heart goes out to the people of Sylhet division who are going through such difficult times. We are working through the Bangladesh Army to ensure that people get the water bottles. We pray and hope that the situation gets better quickly and we can work towards recovery.”
As per experts the flood situation in the Sylhet division is worse than the ones Bangladesh had experienced in 1998 and 2004 and in this dire times, the Company would like to lend its helping hand to the people living there.
Rajshahi double murder: SC acquits two death-row convicts, commutes sentence of another
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Thursday acquitted two death-row convicts and commuted the sentence of another in a case for killing a woman and her daughter in 2008.
A three-member bench of the Appellate Division led by Justice Hasan Foez Siddique passed the order and asked the authorities concerned to free the convicts from the condemn cell as soon as possible.
Those acquitted are Ismail Hossain Babu and Sonadi.
The SC also commuted the death sentence of Tariqul Islam to life imprisonment in the case.
Read:SC suspends bail order by HC to Regent’s Shahed in arms case
Advocate Helal Uddin Molla stood for the petitioner while deputy attorney general Bashir Ahmed represented the state.
Miliara Khatun and her daughter Parveen of Godagari upazila in Rajshahi district were killed on October 10, 2006.
In 2008, a court in Rajshahi sentenced Ismail, Sonadi and Tariqul to death in the double murder case.
Later, the convicts filed separate appeal petitions before the High Court.
In 2014, the High Court upheld the death sentence of the convicts.
PM questions leadership credentials of Tarique Rahman
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday questioned how BNP leader Tarique Rahman can lead the party when he does not dare to return home.
“If a political leader has no courage to return home, how can he lead?” she wondered addressing a discussion, marking the 73rd founding anniversary of Bangladesh Awami League.
Hasina, also president of ruling AL, presided over the discussion held at her party’s central office in the city’s Bangabandhu Avenue through a videoconference from Ganobhaban.
Read:PM in JS: Measures taken to make next parliamentary polls more acceptable
She said it is not correct to say that Tarique Zia is not allowed to return home. “None ousted him. He willingly went abroad and then didn’t return,” she said.
Tarique went abroad during the caretaker government giving a written bond that he won’t do politics anymore, she said, asking the BNP leaders how they could forget it.
In this context, Hasina said she was obstrcuted to return home during the caretaker government, but she came back home forcefully taking it as a challenge.
Noting that she was sued in a murder case and arrest warrant was issued against her, the PM said she announced she would return home, appear before the court and face the case.
The premier again raised the question how the election can be participatory one when its rival BNP is facing the crisis of right leadership.
Sylhet airport resumes flight operations
After six days of closure due to the devastating floods, Sylhet's Osmani International Airport resumed flight operations on Thursday.
Two flights -- one on the Sylhet-London route and another on the Sylhet-Manchester route -- took off in the early hours, said Hafiz Ahmed, director of Osmani International Airport.
Airport authorities had suspended flight operations after flood waters inundated the runway on June 17.
Meanwhile, 1.25 lakh people, who took shelter at different temporary homes, returned to their respective areas following the improvement in the flood situation, said local administration authorities.
As the flood waters have started receding, people are heading towards their respective houses on Thursday.
Also Read: Brahmaputra, Dharla keep swelling; More areas submerged in Kurigram, Gaibandha
Kabir Ahmed, a member of No 5 ward of Paschim Islampur union in Companyganj upazila, said many thatched houses have been damaged.
“All paddy stored in the houses have been destroyed. Currently, people are facing financial problems,” he said.
Local administration sources said that 614 shelter homes have been opened in 13 upazilas and the city, where 2, 52,878 people have taken refuge.
Currently, 1,27,653 people are living in 599 temporary shelters, while 1,25,131 left for their homes.
Besides, many areas in the district are still inundated due to the rise in the water level of the Kushiara river.
Additional commissioner of Sylhet division, Debjit Sing, said, "We are monitoring relief distribution to ensure the same reaches all the flood-affected people in phases."
Prof Yunus invited to join Padma Bridge inaugural programme
The government has invited Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus to join the opening programme of the Padma Bridge on June 25.
The Bridges Division sent the invitation card to Yunus Centre on Wednesday, Director (Administration) of Bangladesh Bridge Authority Rupam Anwar told UNB on Thursday.
Read: BNP turns down invitation to join Padma Bridge opening programme
Yunus Centre Deputy General Manager (DGM) Rahima Khatun received the invitation card.
Rahima told UNB that they have already sent the invitation to Prof Yunus.
The inauguration of the Padma Bridge will be celebrated in 64 districts of the country simultaneously on June 25.
Rohingya man shot dead in Cox’s Bazar
A 42-year-old Rohingya refugee was shot dead allegedly by assailants at Balukhali camp in Ukhiya of Cox’s Bazar on Wednesday evening.
The deceased was identified as Mohammad Shah, a resident of Modhur Chhora camp-17 in Balukhali.
Read: Rohingya boatman hacked to death in Cox's Bazar
Deceased’s wife Sazeda Begum said that the assailants shot Mohammad Shah while he was talking over the phone near a shop in the camp in the Modhur Chhora area at 5pm on Wednesday and fled immediately.
Later, he was rushed to Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival, said Sheikh Md Ali, officer-in-charge of Ukhiya police station.
The body was kept in the hospital morgue for an autopsy, he said. "Efforts are on to identify and nab the killers,” said the OC.
2,415 more Bangladeshis can perform Hajj this year
Over 2,400 more Bangladeshis will be able to perform Hajj this year, as Saudi Arabia has increased the number of Hajj quota for this country.
The information came from a letter sent to the Hajj Council in Saudi Arabia by the Religious Affairs Ministry of Bangladesh on Wednesday.
Read: First hajj flight leaves Dhaka with 410 pilgrims
According to the letter, Bangladesh has accepted the increased quota of additional 2,415 pilgrims allotted to the country by the Saudi government for this year’s Hajj.
The letter requested the Saudi Hajj Councillor to take necessary steps after fixing the quota of 115 under government management and the remaining 2,300 under private agencies.
This year's Hajj will be held on July 8 in Saudi Arabia, depending on the sighting of the moon.
Read: Hajj cost goes up by Tk 59,000
The flight of Hajj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia started on June 5. The last flight to Saudi Arabia is on July 3. The return flight will start from July 14 and end on August 4.
So far, 26,309 pilgrims have gone to Saudi Arabia till Tuesday.
Brace for more showers in 24 hours!
More rains are likely to drench Bangladesh in the next 24 hours, with monsoon being fairly active over the country and moderate over the North Bay, the weather department said Thursday.
“Light to moderate rain or thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty wind and lightning flashes is likely to occur at many places over Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions and at a few places over Rajshahi, Rangpur, Mymensingh and Dhaka divisions with moderately heavy to heavy falls at places over the country,” the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) said in its forecast.
Read: Flood situation in 6 Sylhet upazilas takes a turn for the worse
Day and night temperatures may remain nearly unchanged over the country. At the same time, the speed of the temporary gusty wind may increase from 30 to 40 kmph, as per the forecast.
The Met office recorded the highest 96mm rainfall in Madaripur in 24 hours till 6am on Thursday.