District
One kg gold seized at Chattogram airport
Members of National Security Intelligence (NSI) and Customs Intelligence seized one kg of gold from three Dubai returnees at Shah Amanat International Airport on Monday.Director of Shah Amanat International Airport group captain Taslim Ahmed, said a flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines BG-148 landed at the airport around 6:30 am.Tipped off, a joint team of NSI and Customs Intelligence challenged three passengers of the flight and seized one kg gold from their possession.
2 held with 40 gold bars worth over Tk 4 cr in JhenaidahThe three passengers are Mobarak Ali of Chakaria in Cox’s Bazar, Nazmul Haque of Satkania in Chattogram and Anwar Shah of Sandwip.They were not arrested yet. Investigation is going on in this regard.2 arrested with foreign cigarettes, gold bars at Ctg airport
Father, son shot dead by robbers in Cox’s Bazar
A man and his son were shot dead reportedly by a gang of robbers at Thoaingakata Ghonarpara in Ramu upazila of Cox’s Bazar early Monday.
The deceased were identified as Jafar Alam, 52, son of late Nurul Islam and his son Mohammad Selim, 33.
Mir Kashem, a resident of Ghonarpara area of Gorjania union said, some robbers came to the house of Jafar Alam to lift cows.
Missing woman’s throat-slit body recovered in Natore
When they resisted, the robbers opened fire, leaving Jafar Alam and his son dead, he said.
Abu Taher Dewan, officer-in-charge of Ramu Police Station, confirmed the death.
There might be a clash between two groups over establishing dominance, said the OC.
Missing woman’s throat-slit body recovered in Natore
The throat-slit body of a housewife, who went missing on Friday, was recovered from a tenant’s house in Natore Sadar upazila on Sunday night.
The deceased was identified as Eti Begum, 45, wife of Md Shafiqul Islam, imam of Murcha Baitul Noor Jame Masjid in Lohagara upazila of the district.
Police and locals said Eti Begum used to live in the village alone but her husband Imam Shafiqul lives in Lohagara for job.
Bishwanath village in shock as minor cousins drown in pond
Around one year back, day labourer Monirul Mollah of Bagerhat rented a room of the couple to live with his family. But around two months ago Monirul sent back his family to his village.
Imam Shafiqul returned to his workplace last Wednesday.
The doors of the houses of the victim and the tenant were found closed since Friday.
On Sunday afternoon, residents smelt odour from the tenant’s house and informed the imam.
MV Abdullah reaches Dubai’s Al Hamriya Port
Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Saiful Islam said being informed they recovered the body from under the bedstead and seized a sharp weapon used in the murder.
Drives will be conducted arrest suspect murder Monirul and a process was underway to file a case in this regard, he said.
Bishwanath village in shock as minor cousins drown in pond
Two cousins aged 10 and 11, who were also friends and playmates, drowned in a pond at Chansirkapon village in Sylhet's Bishwanath upazila on Sunday.
The deceased were identified as Rihan Ahmad Yasin, 10, son of Siraj Mia of Barhatta upazila of Netrokona district and Yusuf Ruhan, 11, son of Titon Mia of Chansirkapon village.
According to the locals, Rihan and Ruhan lived with their family in a rented house in a colony in Chansirkapon village of Ward No. 7 of Bishwanath Sadar.
The two kids fell into the water body in the absence of any family members, while they were playing on its bank around 5pm.
At one stage of a frantic search, the bodies of the children were found floating in the pond.
Later they were rescued and taken to Bishwanath Upazila Health Complex. The doctors of the emergency department declared them dead.
Rama Prasad Chakraborty, officer-in-charge (OC) of Bishwanath police station, confirmed the deaths.
Driver of wayward bus that killed 15 last week in Faridpur arrested
The Rapid Action Battalion has arrested the driver of the Uttara Unique Paribahan Bus over a crash that cost the lives of 15 people last Tuesday.
The driver was arrested from a market in Kotchandpur Upazila Sadar area of Jhenaidah district on Sunday afternoon, according to the Faridpur company captain of RAB-10, Lt. Commander KM Shaikh Akhtar.
The arrestee Khokon Mia is the son of Delwar Hossain, a resident of Kotchandpur upazila of Jhenaidah district.
Details will be disclosed in a press briefing on Monday at 11:30am, added the RAB officer.
Enamul Sheikh, the elder brother of Iqbal Hossain, who died in the road crash on April 16, filed a case against the bus driver at Faridpur Kotwali police station.
Meanwhile, a 7-member investigation committee headed by Additional District Magistrate Md Ali Siddiqui was formed by the district administration to investigate the accident.
MV Abdullah reaches Dubai’s Al Hamriya Port
The Bangladeshi-flagged ship ‘MV Abdullah’ which was released with all 23 crew members after 31 days of captivity by Somali pirates who hijacked the ship in the Indian Ocean, reached Al Hamriya Port of Dubai safely on Sunday.
The cargo vessel anchored at the port around 4:30 pm (Bangladesh time), said Mizanul Islam, media advisor KSRM group.
The vessel is now kept anchored at the port, according to the Marine Traffic Website.
Family counting days for safe return of MV Abdullah's chief engineer
The vessel will be taken to the jetty for unloading coals today or tomorrow.
Captain of MV Abdullah, Mohammad Abdur Rashid, said all the 23 crew members are safe and sound and two crew members will go to Bangladesh by a flight while the others will reach the vessel in the first week of May after unloading coal.
The Bangladeshi-flagged ship and its 23 crew members were released on April 13.
It took eight days to reach the United Arab Emirates.
Hijacked ship MV Abdullah released with 23 sailors
A Somali news outlet reported that MV Abdullah was released for $5 million (Tk 55 crore).
Earlier, on March 12 at 1:30 pm Bangladesh time, Somali pirates boarded and took control of the MV Abdullah while it was en route from the port of Maputo, Mozambique, to the United Arab Emirates.
The ship was carrying 55,000 tons of coal. All 23 crew members on board are Bangladeshis. The ship is owned by SR Shipping Limited, an affiliate of Chattogram-based Kabir Group. The pirates then took the ship to the coast of Somalia.
Nine days after the ship was hijacked, the pirates contacted the ship's owner's group to demand ransom. There were then negotiations at various levels. The ship's owner had hinted that the sailors would be released this month.
Owner of hijacked vessel MV Abdullah doesn’t want armed operation
SR Shipping is one of the largest shipping companies in the country. They operate ocean-going merchant ships. The bulk carrier MV Abdullah, with a deadweight tonnage (DWT) of 45,653 tons, has an overall length (LOA) of 185.74 metres and a width of 30.4 metres.
Heat wave: 3 more said to die from heatstroke
Three individuals in three different districts - Meherpur, Narsingdi and Sylhet - are said to have died from heatstrokes on Sunday as the country continues to reel in the throes of a suffocating heatwave hitting record high temperatures, from which there is seemingly no respite.
With this, five people died from heatstroke in the past two days - at least based on preliminary analyses.
In Meherpur, a 45-year-old housewife, Shilpi Khatun, apparently died from heatstroke in Meherpur’s Gangni upazila on Sunday morning.
The victim was wife of Abu Taher of Ruyerkandi village in the upazila.
Her son Rawnak Hossain said his mother suddenly felt sick while working on the house yard amid the scorching heat in the morning though she was in good health.
She breathed her last while preparations were being made to take her to hospital, he said.
In Narsingdi, a young man named Shafqat Jameel Iban died from heat stroke on Sunday afternoon.
He was the son of late Zakaria of Bhagirathpur village of Madhavadi and was a garment businessman.
Dr. Mahmudul Kabir Bashar, resident medical officer (RMO) of Sadar Hospital, said the exact cause of his death could not be ascertained, although it initially appeared to be heat stroke.
Meanwhile, a rickshaw puller died from heat stroke in Sylhet’s Dakshin Surma upazila.
His death occurred in front of the South Surma police box on Sunday (April 21) at noon.
Yardous Hasan, officer-in-charge (OC) of Dakshin Surma Police Station, said rickshaw puller Abu Hanif fainted in front of the Police Box around 12:30pm.
Later, locals rescued him and took him to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical Hospital where doctors declared him dead.
Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital Deputy Director Dr. Soumitra Chakraborty voiced doubts as to whether the death could be put down to heatstroke.
"He might have died from a simple stroke or any other cause," Dr. Soumitra added.
In any case, his body was being kept at the hospital morgue.
According to the BMD, a very severe heat wave is sweeping over Pabna and Chuadanga districts while evere heat wave is sweeping over the districts of Rajshahi, Tangail, Jashore and Kushtia. Mild to moderate heat wave is sweeping over Rangpur, Barishal and Mymensingh divisions and rest parts of Dhaka, Rajshahi & Khulna divisions and the districts of Srimangal and Chandpur and it may continue.
Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) and ICDDR, B issued some guidelines in an effort to minimize health risk due to the scorching heat.
Why the cry for road safety in Bangladesh resonates across generations
In Naogaon's Nawabganj, a young voice took to the city streets with a powerful message this morning to noon (April 21).
A fifth-grader, Fatema Afrin Chhoya, staged a unique protest demanding safe roads. Although her age couldn't be confirmed, most 5th-graders in Bangladesh's public education system are 11-12 years old.
6 die in road accidents in 3 districts
Blindfolded, Chhoya stood for hours starting from 10:30 am in this sweltering weather at two busy intersections of the city - Tajer Mor and Bridge Mor - holding her placard.
Her poster read: "We want safety on the roads, we want to live like we're really living, we want the implementation of traffic laws to prevent accidents."
Talking to UNB, Chhoya shared her motivation: "I see death news every day on TV-newspapers. Most of it is due to road accidents. When I leave home or go to school, there's no certainty whether I'll return to my parents safely. Seeing so many death news every day is very painful, it makes me afraid."
Rickshawpuller injured in road accident dies at Dhaka hospital
She further stated, "Just a few days ago, a father and mother were killed in a road accident at Sahapur in Nawabganj. Their 5-year-old child survived. Now think about what will happen to that child. The child has been deprived of parental love and care for the rest of his life due to the tragedy. I want safe roads. I want to be able to walk safely on the roads. I urge the government to take appropriate measures to ensure safe roads."
Chhoya's father, music artist Khademul Islam Captain, said, "On April 18, Matiur Rahman Hasan, known as Pagol Hasan, a popular lyricist and composer in Sunamganj, died in a road accident in the Surma Bridge area. Pagol Hasan was my colleague and friend."
He continued, "Before that, on April 17, Enamul Haque and his wife Brishti Akhter, were killed in a road accident in Sahapur, Nawabganj. Their 5-year-old child, Junaid Islam, survived."
"These incidents have deeply affected my daughter. She can't keep herself stable after hearing so much news of death every day. That's why she says, 'Dad, I want to stand up for safe roads.' I couldn't ignore my daughter's noble and logical demand, so I fully support her," he said.
"Today, my little daughter is demanding safe roads alone, just as everyone in the country should become aware and raise such demands. If everyone became conscious and raised such demands, then incidents like these, akin to daily bloodshed, would greatly decrease. We want safe roads, and we want everyone to abide by traffic laws. We urge the government, along with the general public, drivers, and vehicle owners, to work together," he added.
A pedestrian named Zulfikar Rahman said, "Actually, none of us are safe on the roads. When we leave home, there's no certainty that we'll return safely. Such an initiative by a school student has truly amazed us."
Retired army personnel dies in road accident in Rajshahi
Echoing Rahman's sentiment, Nilofer Yasmin and Tanha Khatun, two other pedestrians, said, "The child's protest and demand amidst intense heat and humidity are very rational and commendable. We have a lot to learn from her. Fresh lives are lost on the roads every day. Everyone must come together to demand safe roads."
President of the Nawabganj District Branch of NIRAPAD SARAK CHAI (NISCHA), A.S.M. Raihan Alom, said, "We have been campaigning for safe roads for a long time. We are also raising awareness among drivers and vehicle owners. The initiative taken by this student has greatly impressed us. If such demands and awareness spread among everyone, then I believe incidents of road accidents will decrease significantly."
30 injured in clash between police, RMG workers in N’ganj
Thirty people were injured in a clash between police and garment workers at BSCIC industrial area in Fatullah of Narayanganj district on Sunday.
Quoting witnesses, police said a group of workers of Abanti Colour Tex Limited blocked Dhaka-Munshiganj road around 9:30 am after placing bamboo, sticks, electric poles and logs demanding payment of their dues.
A two kilometer long tailback was created following the blockade.
On information, police rushed to the spot and the clash started around 12:30 pm when they tried to disperse the workers.
A chase and counter-chase took place in the area.
Police lobbed tear gas shells and fired rubber bullets and used water cannons to bring the situation under control.
Workers said the factory was declared closed on April 8 without clearing the dues for the month of March.
The owner of the factory earlier assured that they will pay their dues through mobile banking before Eid-ul-Fitr but the workers did not get their salary.
Vehicular movements in the area came to normal around 4 pm.
Contacted, Aslam Sunny, director of Crony group, said they have cleared the bonus of the workers but failed to provide the salary of the month of March due. He said they will pay the salary by Wednesday.
Additional police have been deployed in the area to avert further trouble, said Taslim Uddin, in-charge (investigation) of Fatullah Model Police Station.
Woman dies in Meherpur as heat wave scorches the country
A 45-year-old housewife died reportedly from heat stroke in Meherpur’s Gangni upazila on Sunday morning as the country continues to experience extremely high temperature for the past few days.
With this, three people died from the heat stroke in the past two days in the country.
The latest victim was identified as Shilpi Khatun, wife of Abu Taher of Ruyerkandi village in the upazila.
Tk 7 crore and counting: Donations at Pagla Masjid break all previous records
Her son Rawnak Hossain said his mother suddenly felt sick while working on the house yard amid the scorching heat in the morning though she was in good health.
She breathed her last while preparations were being made to take her to hospital, he said.
The district recorded 42.3 degree Celsius temperature till 6pm on Saturday, causing sufferings to all walks of life.
Body of Navy person recovered 8 hrs after going missing in Muhuri River
Earlier on Saturday, two people died from the heat stroke in Chuadanga and Pabna districts respectively.