Brac Bank, under Bangladesh Bank's guidance, has organized a Cottage, Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (CMSME) Cluster Financing Workshop in Laxmipur to enhance financing to the growing industrial hubs. As the lead bank, Brac Bank hosted the event per Bangladesh Bank's directive. All banks operating in the district participated in the interactive event to enhance industry-bank collaboration, identify more clusters, and increase financing flow. BRAC Academy launches its 2nd branch in Bogura Arif Hossain Khan, Executive Director of Bangladesh Bank Chattogram Regional Office, attended the event as the chief guest. Syed Abdul Momen, Deputy Managing Director & Head of SME Banking; Alomgir Hossain, Head of Small Business (Central), SME Banking; Jamshed Ahmed Chowdhury, Regional Head, Distribution Network, Brac Bank, and branch managers of different banks were present at the workshop held at a hotel in Laxmipur town Thursday, said a press relesae. Representatives from the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC), and Agriculture Extension Office attended the workshop. Brac Bank, DIU join hands to advance women entrepreneurship Bangladesh Bank has assigned different banks to host such workshops on cluster financing as lead banks in various districts throughout the year. BRAC Bank has become the lead bank in Laxmipur and Gaibandha. Several industry clusters in Bangladesh generate significant industrial output, create employment and play a catalytic role in economic development. Pirojpur, Jashore and Khulna are home to cricket bat clusters, Dhaka, Chattogram, Bhairab, and Brahmanbaria are famous for leather clusters, Gaibandha and Pabna are renowned for hosiery, Tangail and Sirajganj for power loom and textiles, Bhairab for shoes, Satkhira for medical products, Bogura’s Dhunot and Dupchanchia for blanket, Jashore and Bogura for light engineering and Moulvibazar for Agar-Atar industries. Brac Bank secures Bancassurance business approval Easy access to financing can help flourish CMSME industries in different industrial clusters in the country. Collaboration among government bodies, entrepreneurs and banks can uplift clusters and allow them to contribute significantly to the manufacturing sector and national development.

Two former leaders of Awami League’s (AL’s) associate bodies--Juba League (JL) and Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) have been shot to death in an attack allegedly by their rivals over establishing supremacy in Sadar upazila of Laxmipur on Tuesday night. The deceased identified as Abdullah Al Noman, 35, and Rakib Imam, 28, were former general secretary and organising secretary of the district units JL and BCL respectively.           Locals and police said there had long been a dispute between AL leader Abul Kashem Jehadhi, former chairman of Bashikpur union parishad (UP) and AL leader Mahfuzur Rahman, also incumbent chairman of the UP and elder brother  of murdered JL leader Noman in the area.    A group of miscreants opened fire on the duo in the Poddar Bazar area under the UP around 10pm, leaving them critically injured, they said. Read more: Jubo League leader shot dead in Laxmipur They were rushed to the Laxmipur Sadar Hospital where physicians declared Noman dead upon arrival, said Dr Anowar Hossain, residential medical officer of the hospital. He said Noman was brought to the hospital as dead while Rakib was referred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) after giving first aid.      The former BCL leader succumbed to his injuries on the way to DMCH, he said, adding that the duo sustained bullet injuries in their heads and mouths.   Noman’s brother Mahfuzur alleged that their opponent Jehadhi committed the killing to establish their supremacy in the area while UNB could not verify the allegations immediately.   Mahfuzzaman Ashraf, superintendent of police of the district, said two people sustained bullet injuries in an incident and one of them succumbed to his injuries on the spot. Read more: Chhatra League leader shot dead in Rajbari Legal actions will be taken in this connection after investigation, he said. Additional numbers of law enforcers were deployed in and around the area to ward off any unexpected incident further, the SP added.

A case has been filed against 10 people in connection with the death of a teenage boy during a clash between two factions of Awami League in Raipur upazila of Laxmipur district on Wednesday. Fatema Begum, mother of diseased Russel Hossain,14, filed the case against Awami League leader BM Shahjalal and 9 others on Wednesday night, said Shipon Barua, officer-in-charge of Raipur Police Station. Police also arrested five people after the clash from the spot, said the OC. They were shown arrested in the case. Four other arrestees were identified as Rahul, general secretary of Charbongshi union unit Awami League, Shohag, Faruk and Sumon Shikdar. Earlier, Russel Hossain, son of Manir Hossain Bhuttu was killed and 10 people were injured in a clash between two factions of Awami League over establishing supremacy at Charkasia village in Raipur upazila.

A 14-year-old boy was killed and 10 people were injured in a clash between two factions of Awami League over establishing supremacy at Charkasia village in Raipur upazila of Laxmipur district on Wednesday. Russel Hossain, son of Manir Hossain Bhuttu of the village, was stabbed to death in a fierce clash between two rival factions of AL, said Mahfuzzaman Ashraf, officer-in-charge of Laxmipur police station. Shahjalal Rahul, joint general secretary of Charbongshi union unit AL and Nazrul Islam, a member of the same AL unit had been at loggerheads over establishing supremacy in the area, he said. As a sequel to the enmity, the supporters of both groups equipped with sharp weapons, attacked each other in Miarhat area in the morning, leaving Russel dead on the spot and 10 others wounded. The injured were taken to Sadar Hospital. On information, police rushed in and brought the situation under control. They recovered the body from the spot. Additional police have been deployed to avert further trouble.

A Laxmipur court on Tuesday convicted a man and sentenced him to life term imprisonment for killing his elder brother in 2019. The lifer is Abdul Mannan, son of Abul Kalam of Charparvatinagar village of Parvatinagar union of Sadar upazila. The convicted defendant was present in the court during the judgment. The court also fined him Tk 10,000, in default, to suffer one year more rigorous imprisonment. According to the prosecution, Hannan, the elder brother of the convict, had an altercation over a family feud on February 19, 2019. Read: 5 get death sentence for raping teenage girl in Khulna At one stage, Mannan hit Hannan with a sharp weapon, leaving him dead on the spot. Later, a case was filed following a complaint lodged by their father the next day. Police submitted a charge sheet on March 15, 2019, against the accused Mannan. After examining the records and witnesses, Laxmipur District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Rahibul Islam handed down the judgment.

Four teenage girls have been missing since Saturday morning in Badamtoli in Kamalnagar upazila of Laxmipur district, police said on Sunday. The victims were identified as Zobaida Akter, 12, Mitu Akter, 12, Samia Akter Niha, 13 and Shimu Akter, 14. Also read: Missing college student found dead in Rajshahi General diaries were lodged with Kamalnagar Police in connection with the disappearance of four girls on Saturday night, said Mohammad Solaiman, officer-in-charge of Kamalnagar Police Station. The four girls went out on Saturday morning telling their mothers they were going to their maternal grandfather’s house but on Saturday night, Niha’s family came to know that they had not reached their destination. Also read: Ctg cops reunite missing Lakshmipur girls with families Police are conducting a drive to find them, said OC.  

Police on Sunday recovered the throat-slit body of a 45-year-old woman from Laxmipur municipality area in the district. The deceased was identified as Shohorbanu, daughter of Fazar Ali of Debiganj upazila in Panchagarh district. AHM Kamruzzaman, superintendent of Laxmipur Police, said Khokon Ali Sheikh, son of Meher Ali of Bogura district, married Shohorbanu 30 years back and couple used to live in Dhaka’s Abdullahpur along with their three children. READ: Supervisor found dead inside bus in Laxmipur, driver held Sohorbanu developed an extra-marital affair with Fakir Ali Sheikh, young brother of Khokon , he said. Sohorbanu eloped with Fakir Ali few days back and started living at a rented house in Laxmipur. When Khokon came to know the matter, he went to their Laxmipur house on Sunday and tried to bring back  Shohorbanu to his house.  As she refused him, Khokon killed her after slitting her throat. Hearing screams, local people caught Khokon while he was trying to flee the scene and handed him over to police.

A 32-year-old man was found dead under mysterious circumstances inside a bus parked in front of the deputy commissioner’s office in Laxmipur district early on Saturday. The deceased was identified as Riad Hossain Liton, son of Dudu Mia of Sadar upazila, who worked as a supervisor with the transport firm operating the bus. Jashim Uddin, officer-in-charge of Laxmipur Police Station, said the bus reached Laxmipur around 10pm on Friday. "Later, Nahid, the driver, parked it in front of the deputy commissioner’s office in the district town and left," the OC said. READ: 4 get life term for killing three-wheeler driver in Khulna "Liton and a helper were supposed to spend the night on the bus. But around 4am, Nahid returned to the bus and found Liton lying in a pool of blood," the OC said. On information, police recovered the body and arrested Nahid for interrogation. "The helper of the bus is missing," the OC said.

A housewife was allegedly raped by five people at her house in Sadar upazila of Laximpur district early Sunday. Police said five thieves- Sumon, Nazim, Hossain, Yusuf and Harun- entered the rape survivor’s house at Charmotua village in Teoyariganj union in the early hours and tied up all members of the family. Read: Schoolgirl gang-raped in Bagerhat The family members alleged that the thieves raped the housewife and looted the gold ornaments and cash money. Later, the rape survivor was admitted to  Laxmipur Sadar Hospital in the morning. Md Anwar Hossain, resident medical officer of the hospital, said her medical examinations and treatment are going on. Police launched a drive to arrest the five rapists, said the Superintendent of Police AHM Kamruzzaman.

A 60-year old woman died after she was stabbed and then set on fire allegedly by her son in Ramganj upazila of Laxmipur district on Wednesday night. The deceased was identified as Amena Begum, wife of late Akbar Ali of Ashar Kota village in Noagaon union in the upazila. Her son Redwan Hossain Milon was arrested from the spot, said Emdadul Haque, Officer-in-Charge of Ramganj police station. Also read: Son held for beating mother to death in Khagrachari He said Redwan stabbed his mother at night over a family feud and set her  on fire after covering the body with a blanket. Informed by the locals, police recovered the body from their home and arrested the son, said the OC. A murder case was lodged at Ramganj police station after receiving a complaint from Redwan’s brother Tipu Sultan.   Also raed: Mother remanded for killing 17-month-old baby in Sylhet