United News of Bangladesh

The drug trade has spread across Khulna city, with drug sales reportedly taking place in all 31 wards from evening until late at night, according to a report of the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC). The DNC has identified 272 people allegedly involved in drug trading in the city and listed 117 drug-selling hotspots. The list has been sent to the Prime Minister’s Office, seeking necessary directives to curb the illegal trade. According to the DNC report, drug smugglers bring Phensedyl and Yaba from Satkhira and Jashore by road and rail. The drugs allegedly enter the city in cargo vehicles through Pather Bazar and Zero Point. Commuter trains from Benapole are also allegedly being used to transport drug consignments, with traders getting off at Daulatpur and Khulna railway stations, it said. The report identified 117 drug hotspots across the city, including Tutpara, Gachhtala, Mohirbari Khalpar, Greenland slum, Joragate, Hospital Road, Nirala Residential Area, Sonadanga bus terminal, Labanchhara, Zero Point, Kaiya Bazar, Islamnagar, Khulna University campus, Giletala, KUET Road, Daulatpur, Khalishpur, Boyra Bazar, Baikali Bazar, Customs Ghat and Maheshwarpasha Kalibari. An official holding the rank of deputy director at the DNC also sent a copy of the list to the Ministry of Home Affairs. The report said the hotspots were identified based on information from three intelligence agencies. The report alleged that before the political changeover in 2024, some senior leaders of the Sramik League and banned Bangladesh Chhatra League had directly or indirectly been involved in the drug trade. It further alleged that some political and student leaders had invested money to encourage drug sellers and collected monthly payments in exchange for allowing drug sales in specific areas. The drugs included cannabis, Phensedyl, Yaba and codeine phosphate, according to the report. It said drug transactions worth around Tk 400,000 took place in the city every day at the time. The report also said the people controlling the drug trade changed following the political transition. Meanwhile, in a meeting of the law-and-order committee last month, Khulna General Hospital Superintendent Dr Rafiqul Islam Gazi said 137 people underwent dope tests during the month when eight of tested positive for drugs. Most of those who tested positive were users of morphine and cannabis, he said. Additional Deputy Commissioner (South) of Khulna Metropolitan Police Amit Kumer Bormon said police conduct drives every day to make the city free of drugs. He said drug dealers were on the run but remained under pressure, adding that Yaba is in particularly high demand among drug users in the city.    

Continuous rainfall for the past few days has left parts of Khulna city, its suburbs and adjacent upazilas near the Sundarbans submersed. Several areas, including Royal Mor, Tutpara, Mistripara, Ahsan Ahmed Road, Boyra, Mujgunni, Sonadanga, and Fulbarigate  went under water in the city. Rains entered the houses of the low-lying areas of the city, causing suffering of residents.  Fish enclosures, ponds, and croplands were flooded and residents  were facing an acute shortage of drinking water. On the other hand, the situation is worse in Paikgachha and Koyra upazilas as most areas were submerged there following the heavy downpours. Feni’s Muhuri, Selonia rivers still above danger level; floodwaters likely to recede Amid the downpour, the roof of the record room at the Khulna Sadar Sub-Registry Office collapsed on Tuesday, damaging over a hundred official books due to rainwater. The low-income groups are the worst sufferers due to the waterlogging . “There’s little to no passenger movement due to the waterlogging. I’m earning less every day,” said Abdur Razzak, an easy-bike driver. "It’s hard to manage household expenses." Rickshaw puller Roni from Shibbari Goborchaka area  said “Rain or shine, we have to work. But when it rains heavily, even umbrellas can’t help. We charge a bit more when people are soaked, but many don’t pay. Still, we take medicine if we fall sick and go back to work the next day. That’s how life goes,” he said. Locals blamed the poor drainage system for the waterlogging and urged the government to take immediate measures to address the issue. Md Mizanur Rahman, in-charge of the Khulna met office, said they recorded 43.6 mm of rainfall over the past 24 hours till 12 pm Wednesday, predicting more rainfall in the next 24 hours.  

Nagar Paribahan service resumed in Khulna city Monday morning after remaining suspended for over two and a half years. The Nagar Paribahan service will ply between Khulna city’s Fultola and Rupsha Ghat. Passengers travelling on this route regularly are relieved now as they won’t have to rely on human-haulers and CNG-run auto-rickshaws and spend Tk60-70 as fares. Resumption of Nagar Paribahan service has also opened up new avenues of income generation for transport workers of the area, said passengers and drivers. The fare for travelling from Fultola to Rupsha Ghat through Nagar Paribahan has been fixed at Tk 30. Up to Daulatdia, the fare for students has been fixed at Tk 10 while for general passengers the fare is Tk 15. Low and middle income people and students had to suffer a lot due to the absence of Nagar Paribahan. Exorbitant fares, rough behavior  of the human-hauler and auto-rickshaw drivers , traffic jam and reckless driving  made the lives of Khulna city residents miserable. All these problems will be over now thanks to the re-launch of Nagar Paribahan service, they hoped. Read:Deprived of public transport, Khulna residents long for return of Nagar Paribahan

The High Court on Monday ordered the authorities concerned to remove all the illegal establishments along the banks of the Mayur River in Khulna city and submit the progress report within two months.