district
3 of a family killed in Munshiganj road crash
Three members of a family were killed and two others injured when a covered van hit a private car on Dhaka-Chattogram highway at Baushia in Gazaria upazila of Munshiganj district on Saturday.The deceased were identified as Alamgir, 55, his wife Rahela Begum, 50 and their son Jahir, 30, of Chandpur district.
4 of a family suffer burn injuries in Munshiganj explosionRajib Khan, officer-in-charge of Gazaria police station, said the accident occurred around 1:45 am when the covered van hit the Dhaka-bound private car from Chandpur, leaving three passengers of the car dead on the spot and two others injured.The injured were taken to Gazaria Upazila Health Complex.
Two workers electrocuted in Munshiganj jute mill
Gazipur train derailment: Salvage operation still on 24 hours post-collision
Twenty-four hours after a commuter train collided with an oil-carrying train at the Joydebpur Railway junction in Gazipur on Friday, the salvage operation has yet to make significant progress.
The collision, which occurred near Kazi Bari around 11 am on Friday, disrupted train communication between Dhaka and the northern-eastern region for two hours.
Despite the ongoing efforts, the rescue teams have struggled to clear the two oil-laden wagons and two commuter train bogies. As of 10 am on Saturday, the operation is still underway while train services on the Dhaka-Joydebpur route continue to operate through an alternate line.
Truck-pick-up van collision leaves 2 construction workers dead in Gazipur
Hanif Mia, the station master at Joydebpur Railway Station, reported that it initially took one and a half hours to salvage the derailed bogies. Nine bogies from the two trains were derailed in the incident, resulting in injuries to four people.
A relief train was dispatched to the scene in the afternoon to assist with the salvage operations. Additionally, two platoons of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) were deployed on Friday to support the rescue efforts.
In response to the accident, authorities have established three probe committees to investigate the causes and contributing factors of the collision. Meanwhile, efforts to fully clear the tracks and restore normal service are ongoing.
Gazipur train derailment: 2 BGB platoons deployed to help rescue work
Truck-pick-up van collision leaves 2 construction workers dead in Gazipur
Two construction workers were killed and five were injured when a truck collided with a pick-up van at Ansar Road in Sreepur upazila of Gazipur district early Saturday.
The deceased were identified as Russel Mia, 25, and Abu Sufian, 25, of Sunamganj district.
The accident occurred around 4:30 am when the dump truck hit the Mawna-bound pick-up van carrying construction workers, leaving Russel dead on the spot and six others injured, said Belal Ahmed, station officer of Sreepur Fire Service.
3 dead in separate road accidents in two districts
The injured were taken to the Sreepur Upazila Health Complex where the doctors declared Sufian dead.
Police seized the truck and legal steps will be taken in this regard, said Md Kuddus, sub-inspector of Sreepur Police Station.
4 family members among 5 killed in Habiganj road accident
Two siblings drown in Munshiganj
Two siblings drowned in a pond at Dhalibari area in Mahakali Union of Munshiganj Sadar Upazila on Friday.
The deceased were identified as Maryam Akhtar, 7 and Al-Amin, 6, daughter and son of day labourer Noor e Alam.
They were students of the local Al Jamiatul Tara Matia Khaliliya Madrasa.
Locals said the two kids went missing when they were playing near the water body on Friday afternoon.
Later their family members, along with local people, searched for them.
Around 8pm, they retrieved the bodies from the pond of Dhalibari Government Primary School next to the house.
Aminul Islam, OC of Munshiganj Sadar police station, said that the police were sent to the spot upon receiving information.
Worker killed, 3 injured in Sirajganj rice mill boiler blast
A worker was killed and three others sustained injuries in a boiler explosion at a rice mill in Kamarkhand upazila of Sirajganj district early Friday.
The deceased was identified as Fazal Ali, 26, son of Robial Hossain of Jamtoil Paschim Para of the upazila.
The injured were admitted to a local hospital.
The explosion occurred at the rice mill around 5am when rice was put on the boiler machine, leaving four workers injured, said Md. Rezaul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Kamarkhand Police Station.
Later, Fazal was taken to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital where doctors declared him dead around 10am, he added.
A case was filed against the mill owner Azahar Ali following a complaint lodged by Robial Hossain, the father of Fazal Ali.
The investigating officer of this case, Sub-inspector Sujan, visited the spot around 2.30pm and arrested Mill owner Azahar Ali.
In the afternoon, he was sent to jail, said the OC.
Fear of fruit failure grips mango growers in Chapainawabganj as heatwave Intensifies
Chapainawabganj, the country's mango capital, is facing a potential fruit failure this year due to the relentless heatwave scorching the region. Mango cultivation, already hit by an off-year with lower yields, is now under further threat as the intense heat dries up and causes immature mangoes to fall from trees.
Despite efforts by farmers to irrigate and control the situation with pesticides, the mangoes continue to fall, raising serious concerns about the district's mango output. The woes of growers began earlier in the season when excessive cold delayed the emergence of mango buds. This was followed by untimely rains during the blooming stage, destroying many buds and reducing fruit production.
Off year for mangoes in Chapainawabganj? Farmers fear potential loss
Disheartened by these initial setbacks, farmers are now grappling with the scorching heatwave. A visit to several orchards revealed a disheartening scene – small mangoes scattered on the ground instead of hanging healthily on the trees. The lack of rain has stunted their growth, leaving them significantly smaller than they should be at this stage.
Some fortunate farmers with the resources have installed diesel-powered irrigation machines to provide much-needed water to their trees. However, many others lack this facility and can only watch helplessly as their mangoes fall victim to the harsh weather conditions.
Chapainawabganj agriculture entrepreneur’s innovative mango cultivation technique doubles yield
Abdur Ahad, a local mango grower, shared his worries: "This year, there were very few mangoes to begin with due to the scarce buds. Now, the situation is even worse with the drought. The mangoes are drying up and falling every day. Despite irrigating and spraying, I can't seem to stop them. The lack of rain is hindering their growth as well."
Abdur Rakib, another grower from Ajaipaur, echoed Ahad's concerns. "The intense heatwave is causing the mangoes to fall. I've already sprayed them thrice, and the production cost is skyrocketing. If the yield is affected, I'm looking at a major financial loss."
Special mango train on Chapainawabganj-Dhaka route launched
Shamima, a grower from the same area, painted a bleak picture: "The condition of mangoes in our district is very bad. We won't be able to achieve our goals from cultivating the orchards. It seems like there will be a mango fruit failure this time."
Palash Sarkar, Deputy Director of the District Agricultural Extension Department, explained the factors contributing to the crisis. "This year, we observed a significant decrease in mango bud formation. The dense fog in February and March followed by rain and light hailstorms damaged the flowers during the crucial flowering stage. Now, the intense heatwave is causing the remaining mangoes to fall. The possibility of future hailstorms and Kal Baisakhi storms further threatens the yield."
According to the Department of Agriculture, mango cultivation in Chapainawabganj this season covers 37,604 hectares of land, with a target production of 450,000 metric tons. Last season, the district produced 443,625 MT of mangoes.
The current heatwave poses a significant threat to exceeding or even meeting last year's production. The plight of Chapainawabganj's mango growers highlights the vulnerability of agriculture to extreme weather events and the urgent need for climate-resilient practices to safeguard future harvests.
Infant rescued one month after abduction from Gazipur, 2 arrested
After a month-long ordeal, an eight-month-old child named Abdullah Al Noman has been rescued, and two people were arrested by Gazipur police following an abduction case lodged by the child's mother.
Gazipur Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Abu Torab Md Shamsur Rahman said this at a press briefing at the headquarters of Gazipur Metropolitan Police on Thursday.
Sumon (40) and his wife Mosha Irin (34) were arrested from Sumon's house in Kurigram with the help of information technology, said the DC.
Abdullah’s mother, Monira Akhter Ruma, was residing at the house of Muktar Hossain in the Nawjor area under the City Corporation's Basan Police Station. On April 3, in the afternoon, Ruma left Abdullah sleeping on the bed after bathing him, to wash her clothes in the bathroom. Upon returning to the room, she found that her eight-month-old son was missing and searched various places in the vicinity along with neighbours, said the police official.
During the search, it was noticed that Irin, their neighbour in the adjacent room, was absent from her room, and her mobile phone was switched off when dialled, he said.
Following the case filed at the Basan Police Station, an operation was conducted leading to the arrest and rescue, added DC Torab.
The arrestees have been sent to court for further legal proceedings, he said.
Clash over land dispute leaves Swechasebak League leader dead, 7 injured in Tangail
A local leader of Swechasebak League died and at least 7 people were injured in a clash between two groups over a land dispute in Nagarpur upazila of Tangail district on Thursday.
The deceased Rajib Hossain, 30, son of freedom fighter Alam Mia of Bhadra village and Senior Vice President of Bhadra Union Swechasebak League.
The injured victims were admitted to the Upazila Health Complex.
H M Jasim Uddin, officer-in-charge (OC) of Nagarpur police station, said there had been enmity between Azahar and Rajib of Bhadra village over the land boundary for long.
As a sequel to the enmity, the supporters of both groups locked into a quarrel this morning.
At one point, Azahar and his family members attacked Rajib with sharp weapons. When Rajib’s family members tried to stop them, they were also hacked and injured.
Later, the injured were rescued and taken to Manikganj's Daulatpur Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared Rajib dead, said the OC.
3 dead in separate road accidents in two districts
Three people died in separate road accidents in Kushtia and in Gaibandha on Thursday.
In Kushtia, two people died after a motorcycle collided with a covered van on the Kushtia-Jhenaidah highway in the Saddam Bazar Mor area of Kushtia early Thursday.
The deceased were identified as Abu Sayed Badsha, 52, of the Talipara area of Kushtia Sadar Upazila, and Md Wahid Yusuf Khan Liton, 53, of the Haripur Shaldah area of the same upazila.
Sheikh Md Sohel Rana, officer-in-charge of Kushtia Model Police Station, confirmed the matter.
According to police and locals, the accident happened when Badsha and Liton were going to Saddam Bazar, and on the way, their motorcycle collided with a covered van on the Kushtia to Jhenaidah highway.
After taking them to Kushtia General Hospital, the duty doctor declared Badshah dead. Liton died while undergoing treatment at Dhaka’s National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital.
In Gaibandha, a 22-year-old power tiller driver died after being hit by a stone-laden truck in the Kholabari area on the Gaibandha-Sadullapur road on Thursday afternoon.
The deceased was identified as Shimul Miah of Ambagan village in the Dhaperhat union of Sadullapur upazila.
OC Masud Rana of Sadar Police Station confirmed the matter.
He said the body was sent to Gaibandha General Hospital for an autopsy. A case has been filed in this regard.
Heatwave being considered a ‘disaster’: State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief
With temperatures reaching unbearable levels, there is a call from public health experts and meteorologists to officially declare the heatwave a disaster and to establish a comprehensive action plan to address its impacts. Against this backdrop, the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief says it is considering the ongoing heatwave in Bangladesh as a “disaster”.
During the current summer season, the country has been experiencing a prolonged period of heat, causing widespread disruption to daily life. Instances of heatstroke have led to fatalities, numerous hospital admissions, and significant damage to crops and fruit trees.
In response to inquiries about whether heatwaves should be declared disaster like droughts, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md. Mohibbur Rahman emphasized, “I certainly would call this extreme heatwave a disaster.”
Dhaka’s air ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups’ this morning
The ministry is actively gathering data on the severity of the heat, which has caused various forms of damage, including deaths from heatstroke, illness, and agricultural losses. This information will guide their decision on whether to extend financial and other forms of assistance to those affected, the state minister said.
Secretary Md. Kamrul Hasan of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief stated that while the government last declared lightning a disaster in 2016, the suggestion to categorize heatwaves similarly is under consideration. The ministry is collecting data on the highest temperatures and their impacts to determine the next steps.
Public health expert and former director of Disease Control at Directorate General of Health Services, Professor Dr. Be-Nazir Ahmed, warned that the current extreme temperatures pose a serious health risk, potentially leading to outbreaks of diseases like cholera.
Dr. Ahmed advocated for strategic planning to prevent heatwave-related deaths and suggested that such a strategy should aim to make the heat more tolerable, including increasing vegetation and maintaining water bodies as cooling measures.
Rain expected in Chattogram and Sylhet within 24 hours
Dr. Md. Zillur Rahman, Dean of the Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Dhaka University, stressed that preparation is crucial as average temperatures have risen by one degree Celsius from 2011 to 2020. He noted that the country is experiencing hotter summers and emphasized the need for strategies to adapt to these increasing temperatures.
According to the Meteorological Department, a heatwave is categorized based on temperature ranges, with the highest category being "severe" when temperatures exceed 42 degrees Celsius.
On April 20, 2024, the country recorded its highest temperature of the season at 42.6 degrees Celsius in Jashore, indicating the severity of the current heatwave. Schools remained closed due to the extreme heat following the Eid holiday break.
The ministry and experts are considering implementing national strategies to mitigate the effects of heatwaves, emphasizing the need for a proactive approach to protect public health and ensure economic stability in the face of increasing temperatures.
Read more: Heatwave forces closure of schools until Thursday