United News of Bangladesh

A four-member probe committee has been formed to investigate the train accident on Kalurghat Rail Bridge on Friday that left three people dead, said Railway officials. Four railway staff members have been temporarily suspended in connection with the incident, said Rezaul Karim Siddique, public relations officer of the Ministry of Railways. The suspended staff are Sohel Rana, guard, loco master Golam Rasul, assistant loco master Amin Ullah and temporary gatekeeper Mahbub. Train rams auto-rickshaw on Kalurghat Bridge: 3 dead, 5 injured Headed by the Divisional Transportation Officer of Bangladesh Railway, Chattogram, the other members of the committee include the Divisional Mechanical Engineer (Loco), the Divisional Engineer-1, and the Divisional Medical Officer of Pahartali, Chattogram. The committee has been asked to submit the report within three days. At least three people were killed and five others injured when a Dhaka-bound train crashed into a CNG-run auto-rickshaw on the Kalurghat Bridge in Chattogram on Thursday night. According to locals, the ‘Parjatak Express’ train from Cox’s Bazar rammed into the auto-rickshaw at around 10:30pm on Thrusday when it just entered the bridge. The train subsequently collided with several other vehicles, including motorcycles.  

Firefighters brought a devastating fire in the world’s largest mangrove forest, the Sundarbans, under full control on Sunday morning, more than 24 hours after it broke out. The fire caused damages to four acres of the forest, the country's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, forest officials said. A three-member body, headed by Dipen Chandra Das, Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) of Chandpai Range in the Sundarbans East Division, was formed and asked to submit a report within seven working days, said Kazi Muhammad Nurul Karim, Divisional Forest Official (DFO) of Sundarbans East Division. The probe body also includes Bipuleshwar Chandra Das, an officer of Dhansagar Station, and Md Rafiqul Islam, in-charge of Kolomteji Patrol Outpost. DFO Nurul Karim said forest officials and local villagers worked tirelessly throughout Saturday night to extinguish the fire by using water from the Bhola River to douse the flames, with firefighters joining them on Sunday morning around 8am. A pipeline was set up to transport water from the Bhola River and the fire is now under control, the forest official said, adding that smoke can still be seen in some areas, By 11:30am on Sunday, there were no visible flames in the forest area, he said. Sundarbans fire: No water sprayed even 12 hours after detection due to lack of nearby source He informed that following recommendations from an earlier investigation into the Sundarbans fire on May 4, 2024, authorities had halted permission for honey collectors in Compartments 24, 25, and 27. But this year, the honey collection season is set to begin on April 1. The DFO suspected that illegal honey collectors might have entered the forest before the season officially began and the fire could have originated from their torches or discarded cigarette butts. Besides, herders who illegally bring their livestock into the Sundarbans by crossing the Bhola River might have also been responsible, as their discarded cigarettes could have sparked the fire, he suspected. ACF Dipen said that a fire-line spanning 1.5 kilometres was created in the affected area to prevent the flames from spreading further. The fire is now under full control, with only minor damages being reported to Balla and Nal forests. Aftab-e-Alam, officer-in-charge of Sarankhola Fire Station in Bagerhat, said that the fire is almost fully extinguished, with about 90 percent of it put out by 11:30am on Sunday. No flames were visible, though occasional smoke was seen, prompting immediate water spraying, he said. Sundarbans at stake as erosion shrinks forest land The fire service official said that three fire units from Bagerhat Sadar, Morrelganj, and Sarankhola, along with forest officials and local villagers, were actively involved in the firefighting efforts. The exact cause and extent of the damage will be determined once the Forest Department releases its investigation report, he said. Besides, some firefighters have been dispatched to the Gulisakhali area of the forest after receiving reports of another fire incident on Sunday morning. The fire broke out around 7am on Saturday in the Taper Beel area of Kolomteji Camp under the Dhansagar Station in the Chandpai Range of the Sundarbans East Zone. This marks the 29th fire incident in the Sundarbans over the past 19 years. The last major fire occurred on May 4, 2024. Over time, nearly 85 acres of forest land in the Sundarbans have been destroyed by fires.

A two-member probe body was formed to look into the robbery attempt by digging a tunnel at a Sonali Bank branch in Lalmonirhat. Manager of Borobari Sonali Bank branch Raju Mia, said headed by Shaheen Akhter Bhuiya, Assistant General Manager of Sonali Bank, the other member of the committee is Senior Principal Shahin Islam. Probe launched after 2 patients die following alleged wrong treatment in Kishoreganj Earlier, on Monday, a group of robbers tried to commit robbery by digging a tunnel at Borobari Sonali Bank in Sadar upazila of Lalmonirhat district around 11:30 pm. The robbers tried to enter the bank by digging a tunnel behind the bank. Sensing a robbery attempt, an official of the bank raised a hue and cry for help. Shariatpur OC found dead: Police suspect suicide, probe committee formed Hearing the scream, Army, police and bank officials rushed to the spot, forcing the robbers to flee the scene. They are investigating whether any money was missing from the bank.  

A five-member committee was formed on Monday to probe the fire at the New Super Market, next to Dhaka New Market on Saturday morning. Headed by Md Wahidul Islam, director (administration and Finance) of Fire Service and Civil Defense headquarters, the committee has been asked to submit its report within five working days. The other members of the committee are—Babul Chakrabarty, deputy director (planning), Senior Station officer of Palashi Fire Station, Warehouse inspector Golam Mostafa and Foysalur Rahman, deputy assistant director. Earlier, a massive fire that broke out at New Super Market on Saturday was doused on Sunday morning around 27 hours after it started. Also read; New Super Market fire: Traders risking lives to save valuables It burnt down several shops and establishments during this busy Eid shopping season. A total of 28 firefighting units and teams of Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force took part in the effort to douse the fire. Some 32 people, including firefighters, fell sick from the heavy smoke while firefighters were trying to douse the blaze.    

The Security Services Division of the Home Ministry has formed a four-member committee to probe the escaping of two death row convicts, also members of banned militant group Ansar al-Islam, from the premises of a Dhaka court on Sunday. The ministry issued a notification in this regard on Sunday (November 20). Read more: 2 militants who escaped from Dhaka court will be arrested any time soon: DB Chief The committee, headed by additional secretary (Prison sub-division) of the Security Services Division, has been asked to submit its report within seven working days, said the notification. On Sunday, two members of the banned militant outfit Ansar al-Islam, who were sentenced to death in Jagriti Publications publisher Faisal Arefin Dipan murder case, escaped from the premises of Dhaka Chief Judicial Magistrate Court (Dhaka CMM Court). Read more: Five cops suspended over escape of 2 convicted militants The escapees are Md Abu Siddique Sohel alias Sakib alias Sajid alias Shahab and Moinul Hasan Shamim alias Samir alias Sifat alias Imran. Publisher Dipan, son of Prof Abul Kashem Fazlul Huq of Dhaka University, was hacked to death in his office on the second floor of Aziz Supermarket at Shahbagh in Dhaka on October 31, 2015.

A probe body formed to investigate last month's horrific accident in Uttara that saw a massive girder of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project crush five members of a family to death in their car, has found the Chinese contractor responsible for the tragedy. Secretary of Road Transport and Highways Division ABM Amin Ullah Nuri revealed this at a press briefing on the probe report at the Secretariat on Sunday. The probe body found the contractor firm, China Gezhouba Group Corporation, or CGGC responsible for the accident, he said. Separately, the probe body pointed to twelve circumstantial reasons behind the accident. These are as follows: Also read: 10 people remanded over Uttara girder crash · The authorities concerned were shifting the girder in the daytime for the first time, which is among the prime reasons behind the accident. · The authorities concerned were ignoring the government holiday without taking any prior permission from the higher authorities concerned. · The crane was driven by an assistant operator or helper of the crane’s main operator. · Even the operator had no licence. · The crane was found driving on a bumpy road. · There was no digital monitor on the crane. · The workers did not take any prior approval for the work. · There was no specific traffic management. Also read: PM orders to find out those responsible for Uttara girder crash · Ineptitude of the traffic management workers. · Lack of a safety engineer. · There was no emergency plan management · Those found working that day were not approved by the contractor firm. Few days after the accident, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming said there would be no objections on their part if punitive actions is taken against those found responsible for the tragedy in an official probe. The probe body also provides some recommendations, including to continue the project work after ensuring safety as per the agreement; take prior approval for safety related issue; should be coordinated with the engineer, consultant, police, city corporation and other concerned for road related work; shifting heavy things like girder should take place from 8pm to 6am, after ensuring proper safety measure and must ensure emergency incident management plan and keeping standby capacity cranes or wrecker, ambulance, first aid and emergency doctor in the project area. The committee suggested bearing the cost of the victims injured in the accident as per prior consensus. On August 15, five members of a family, including two children, were crushed to death after a girder of the BRT project in Uttara fell from a crane on their private car. The Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges formed the six-member probe committee to investigate the tragedy on the following day. Meanwhile, a police case has been filed in connection with the tragedy that occurred around 4.15pm when the girder of the Gazipur Expressway fell on the car from a crane while it was being moved in front of Gazipur Paradise Tower. The FIR for causing death due to negligence does not name anyone but lists the crane operator and the company responsible for the project, China Gezhouba Group Co Ltd, police said.

The probe committee, formed for looking into the incident of charged baton on the activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) during an infighting in Barguna, recommended taking punitive action against thirteen police officials, said an official of Barishal range police. The committee headed by its chief Additional Deputy Inspector General Faruk submitted the report to the Deputy Inspector General of Barishal Range Police Aktaruzzaman on Sunday. However, the DIG refused to make any comment in this regard. According to the sources of Barishal range police, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Muharram Ali, who was withdrawn earlier and 12 others were made responsible in the incident. On August 15, at least 20 people were injured in the infighting between two factions of the BCL Barguna unit during a National Mourning Day discussion. The groups got into a scuffle following a heated argument during the discussion. Read: ASP withdrawn after cops charge baton on Barguna BCL activists At one stage, they started hurling brick chips at each other and vandalised a police vehicle, SM Tariqul Islam, additional superintendent of Barguna police, said. "Later police had to use batons to bring the situation under control." "Two BCL activists were arrested from the spot, and several of them suffered injuries," Tariqul added. On August 16, ASP Muharram Ali was withdrawn from his duties. Muharram Ali was attached to Barishal Range DIG office, said Barishal range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) SM Aktaruzzaman on August 16. Besides, five policemen were withdrawn and attached to Pirojpur and Bhola district police lines Later, a three-member probe body headed by Additional Deputy Inspector General Faruk was formed to look into the incident.

A two-member committee has been formed by the district Chhatra League in connection with the attack on six officials of Mas-Ud Rumi bridge toll plaza over collection of tolls on Friday.Sourav Khan, vice president of Kushtia District Chhatra League and joint general secretary Shakeel Ahmed Tushar are members of the committee.It has been asked to submit a report within 72 hours, said a Bangladesh Chhatra League press release issued on Saturday night.Earlier, Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) activists roughed up six officials of Mas-Ud Rumi bridge toll plaza over collection of tolls on Friday, leaving all of them critically injured.The injured were receiving treatment at Kushtia General Hospital. A video of the incident that has gone viral showed some BCL activists also snatching away money from the toll plaza.According to eyewitnesses, some leaders and activists of BCL’s Kumarkhali upazila unit were going to Kushtia Government College in Kushtia Sadar on 30-40 motorcycles to attend a programme.“Once the motorcycles reached the west side of the Mas-Ud Rumi bridge, one of our officials asked them to pay the toll. Read: BCL activists beat up six toll plaza officials in KushtiaThis angered the BCL activists, which resulted into the beating,” said Shamim Ahmed, Manager of the toll plaza’s contractor company M/S Micro Dynamic.General Secretary of BCL’s Kushtia district unit Sheikh Hafiz Challenge denied the allegations, saying that it was the toll officials who had swooped on the BCL activists.“Our activists were in a hurry and toll officials were causing them more delay.At one point, an altercation ensued and they beat up some of our men,” said Challenge.Officer In-charge (OC) of Kumarkhali Police Station Kamruzzaman Talukder termed the matter as trivial.

The probe body formed over Mirsarai tragedy has found the microbus driver and the gateman of the level crossing responsible for the accident that claimed 13 lives on July 29. The probe body led by its head Ansar Ali, divisional transport officer of Bangladesh Railway, handed over the five-page report to Mohammad Abul Kalam Chowdhury, Divisional Railway Manager (DRM),  on Wednesday. Gateman Saddam Hossain is now behind the bars while driver Golam Mostafa was among the 13 people died in the accident. Saddam also failed to probe that he was present at the level crossing during the accident, said Kalam. Also read: 11 tourists killed, 6 injured after train hits microbus in Ctg Thirteen people died when a speeding express train rammed into the microbus carrying the tourists at a level crossing in Mirsharai upazila on July 29. They met with the accident while returning to their respective homes after visiting the popular waterfall in the hills of Mirsarai. While 11 of them died at the scene, six others were injured. Two more victims died at the hospital, raising the death toll to 13. The divisional railway authorities formed a five-member committee to investigate the accident. The Railway police detained  the gateman who was in charge of Khoiyachora level crossing at the time of the accident.

The High Court (HC) on Wednesday ordered the formation of a committee headed by a professor of Chemical Engineering Department of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) to investigate the depot fire at Sitakunda in Chattogram. The court asked the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources to form the committee with other experts. The HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo passed the order after hearing of a writ petition. The committee will submit their report by three months, it said. The court also issued a rule questioning why the deceased's family and injured victims of the depot fire should not be paid adequate compensation. In another rule, the HC wanted to know why the negligence of the authorities concerned should not be declared illegal and legal action will not be taken against the culprits through proper investigation of the depot fire. The rule also sought explanation as to why instructions should not be given to designate places for chemical storage and show the quantity of chemicals and type of chemicals to be stored in the depot. Read: Probe body finds owners, monitoring authority responsible for Sitakunda depot fire At the same time, the court also asked why the fire service authority was not provided with modern equipment. Home Secretary, Disaster Management and Relief Secretary, Industries Secretary, Commerce Secretary, Director General of Fire Service and Civil Defense, Chittagong Port Authority Chairman, Deputy Commissioner of Chattogram, Chairman and Managing Director of Smart Group, BM Container Depot were made respondents to the rule. On June 29, Supreme Court Lawyer Barrister Mohammad Humayun Kabir Pallab, Barrister Mohammad Kawsar, Barrister Mohammad Majeedul Quader and AKM Faisal Haque filed the writ petition on behalf of ‘Law and Life Foundation’ and ‘CCB Foundation’. The writ petition sought necessary directives to pay compensation of Tk 2 crore to each deceased's family and Tk 50 lakh to each injured victim of the depot fire. The formation of an inquiry committee comprising of explosives experts, proper action against the culprits were also sought in the writ petition. As per the writ petition, at least 51 people were killed in a fire at BM container depot in Chattogram’s Sitakunda on June 4. The deceased included 10 firefighters. Over 200 people were injured in the fire. Besides, firefighters were unable to control fire caused by chemical due to lack of necessary training and modern equipment, it said. Earlier, the Law and Life Foundation Trust and the CCB Foundation had served separate legal notices seeking compensation for the victims, said Barrister Pallab.