In a distressing incident last night, reckless driving led to a multi-vehicle crash inside the Bangabandhu Tunnel in Chattogram, resulting in damage to at least five vehicles and injuring several people. The accident, occurring in one of the tunnel's lanes, underscores the growing concerns over traffic safety. Assistant Sub-Inspector Billal Hossain of the Karnaphuli Police Station, under the Chattogram Metropolitan Police, reported that the chain-reaction collision was initiated by a private car that lost control due to excessive speed. The vehicle's erratic maneuvering led to it colliding with nearby cars, impacting a total of three private cars and two microbuses. Read more: Out of control truck smashes into two other vehicles on Dhk-Ctg Highway; helper dead, 10 injured Following the accident, one of the injured was rushed to Chattogram Medical College Hospital for immediate medical attention, while others sought treatment at various hospitals. The precise number of individuals injured in the ordeal remains uncertain. In the aftermath of the collision, authorities seized all vehicles involved as part of their ongoing investigation into the incident. This accident adds to a troubling pattern of similar occurrences within the Bangabandhu Tunnel, which has seen seven to eight accidents in the mere four months following its inauguration on October 28 last year. The situation has been further complicated by a video that surfaced online, showcasing illegal car racing inside the tunnel immediately after its opening. The viral footage prompted legal action, with a case filed on November 1 against the individuals involved, highlighting the urgent need for enhanced safety measures and stricter enforcement of traffic regulations within this crucial infrastructure. Read more: Bangabandhu Tunnel under the Karnaphuli River: All you need to know

A worker died and at least 3 others sustained injuries Saturday as a boiler exploded on a scrap ship at Sitakunda shipyard in Chattogram. The injured workers with burns are currently being treated at Chattogram Medical College Hospital. The deceased was identified as Ripon Chakma, 26, cutter man of the yard hailing from Dighinala upazila in Khagrachari district. The injured are Md Sohel, 29 from Lakshmipur, Rocket Hossain, 24, from Naogaon and Md Mintu, 41, from Dhaka all working as fitter men in the yard. Also read: 5 of a family burnt in Chattogram gas cylinder blast The incident occurred around 2 pm at Messrs SN Corporation shipbreaking yard in Madam Bibirhat area of the upazila. According to police, the boiler exploded while the workers were cutting a scrap ship using gas, leaving four of the workers burnt. As they were taken to CMCH after rescuing, the doctor announced Ripon dead. Officer-in-Charge of Sitakunda model police station Abul Kalam Azad said a team was sent to the scene for investigation. Also read: 5 burn injured in Chattogram blast “The injured are in critical condition at the moment,” the OC said, quoting the doctors at CMCH. Meanwhile, some workers of the shipyard claimed the number of deaths and injuries are much higher. The shipyard authority has hidden the bodies and injured workers, they said, wishing not to be identified.

An Assistant Sub-Inspector of police was killed on Friday being hit by a microbus carrying drugs  in Chandgaon area of Chattogram. The deceased was identified as Kazi Mohammad Salauddin, 38, a resident of South Jaypur area in Lakshmipur sadar upazila. Read:42 tonnes of poppy seeds seized at Chattogram port Md. Masum, 26, another police member , injured in the accident is being treated at Chattogram Medical College Hospital. Officer-in-Charge of Chandgaon police station Mostafzur Rahman said the microbus hit a police team  as they tried to stop the vehicle tipped off it was carrying drugs. Read: Man killed over land dispute in Chattogram Salauddin died on the spot while Masum sustained injuries, said police. Later, police seized the microbus with 730 liters of liquor but the drug peddlers managed to flee.    

Ten Bangladeshis, who returned from India after treatment, were admitted to the Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) on Friday morning. CMCH sources said most of them are cancer patients. Zahirul Islam Bhuiyan, in-charge of CMCH police outpost, said they returned home from India after undergoing treatment. “They’ve been kept in the hospital for initial care,” he said. Among the returnees, three are from Fatikchhari upazila, three from Chandnaish, three from Karnafuli and one from Patia. Iqbal Hossain, who went to India with a patient, said, "I went there in February for treatment. I came to Jashore from Kolkata on May 4. Before returning home, we tested negative for Covid-19. Here too the report came negative. The hospital authorities said they would send us home." He said that they want to go home as soon as possible but no doctor visited them since morning to talk about their release. Bangladesh shut its border with India after the neighbouring country saw a record upsurge in cases and fatalities. The Indian variant of the coronavirus is suspected to be more contagious. A number of Bangladeshis returned home through Benapole. All of them were tested for Covid-19 and kept at Jashore Chest Disease Hospital. They were sent to their respective district hospitals at the instruction of the authorities concerned yesterday.

The intern doctors of Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) have gone on work abstention from Wednesday following a clash between two factions of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) that left five of them injured on Tuesday. No interns have joined their work on Wednesday, causing immense sufferings to the patients who came to the hospital for treatment. Without any prior notice, the interns have gone on work abstention, said sources at the college. Later, a meeting was held between the interns and deputy commissioner (north) of Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) at the office of the director of the hospital but no fruitful decision has come. Dr Tazwar Rahman Ayan, member secretary of CMCH Intern Association, said,  “We have placed three-point demand before the meeting, but they failed to reach any decision. That’s why we’ll continue our programme.” Also read: Interns stage work abstention at Mitford protesting 2-yr internship At least five people, including two interns, were injured in a clash between two factions of BCL in front of the main gate of the campus over a trifling matter on Tuesday night. Also read: Coronavirus: RMCH interns abstain from work over safety concern Two interns --Dr Habibur Rahman and Dr Osman Gani -- were among the injured.

Two youths were sent behind bars Sunday for gang-raping a seventh-grader after abducting her from Chattogram's Anwara. Police arrested Shahidul Islam Prokash, 20, and Md Raju Prokash Sagar, 25, on Saturday night in connection with the incident. Anwara Police Station Officer-in-Charge Didarul Islam Sikdar said some spoiled youths Thursday abducted the seventh-grader. "They took the 13-year-old to the hilly jungle near Shah Mohsen Aulia Degree College and repeatedly raped her." Upon learning the news, the victim's family rescued her from the jungle and rushed her to Chattogram Medical College Hospital. Also read: Bangladesh introduces death penalty for rape Later, the teenager's father filed a case with Anwara Police Station Saturday night. Bangladesh's rape epidemic Earlier this month, a police headquarters report said 26,695 rape cases had been filed across the country in the last five years. The introduction of the death penalty for rape could not stop the crime.  Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) data shows that 1,018 children were raped last year alone, but only 683 police cases were filed. Also, 116 victims were 6 years old or below. Also read: Police HQ: 26,695 rape cases filed in 5 yrs, with notable jump since 2019 Overall, 1,627 rape incidents were reported last year and 53 of the victims were killed by the perpetrators after committing the crime while 14 took their own lives, the data showed. In November last year, Bangladesh introduced the death penalty for rape, following days of protests against sexual violence against women. In October 2020, the country was rocked by protests after a woman was attacked and raped in Noakhali.

A case has been filed over the killing of Alauddin, also known as Alam, one of the two dead amid violence and clash  centering the Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) election on Wednesday.  

Three persons, including two children, died and eight others were injured after a gas cylinder used to inflate balloons exploded in Moheshkhali of Cox’s Bazar.

The deceased were identified as Aminul Kabir, 28, son of Gias Uddin, Akkas, 33, son of Syed Alam of Sikdarpara, Didarul Islam, 28, son of Abdul Hannan and Abu Taleb, 38, son of Khalilur Rahman of Pekua upazila. Quoting witnesses, Saifur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Pekua Police Station, said the accident took place around 3pm when the sand-laden mini truck from Chakaria crashed into the auto-ricks

Eight people have been arrested for allegedly gang-raping a housewife after kidnapping her from Moulvipukurpar area of Chandgaon in Chattogram city.