Khulna
DB SI held for rape in Khulna
A sub-inspector of the Detective Branch of police was arrested in Khulna on Wednesday on charge of raping a woman at a hotel.
The arrestee is SI Jahangir Alam.
Read: Madrasa teacher gets life term for raping student in Barguna
Officer-in-Charge of Khulna Sadar Police Station Hasan Al Mamun said the woman came from Mongla of Bagerhat to see a doctor for her daughter.
She along with her daughter was staying at room-13 of Sundarbans Hotel in the city at night.
DB sub-inspector Jahangir Alam entered the room around 2:30 am and raped the mother.
Read:5-yr-old raped by cousin in Bhola
When the victim cried out for help, people in the hotel rushed in and detained Jahangir Alam. They later handed him over to police, he said
On Wednesday morning, Jahangir was sent to jail through a court in a case filed by the victim. The victim has been sent to One Stop Crisis Center of Khulna Medical College Hospital, the OC added.
In Dakope, on the frontline of humanity’s losing battle against nature
Life is extremely precarious for the residents of Sutarkhali, Tildanga, Banishanta, Bajua, Laudob, Kamarkhola, and Dakope unions – living on the edge of the rivers Shibsa, Pasur, Dhaki, Bhadra, Chunkuri in Khulna.
Strong fears of unrest and eviction are always breathing down their neck. Without warning, tidal floods can rise and surge over the place they call home, leaving devastation in their wake.
It is a small zone of calm amid chaos, ferocious rains and wanton destruction. Here people follow the whims of the weather like one would not believe. Figuring out how to get to safety if a storm is coming is always on their mind.
Sixty-one-year-old Chhayra Begum from Dakope lives next to the River Chunkuri. She has no son and married off her two daughters.
Read:Long-cherished Chandpur-Sylhet intercity train still a dream
The husbandless Chhayra lives in a nipa palm thatched house – partly swallowed by the river – and does not have a private toilet. She has to go to her neighbour's house or to the riverside to answer the call of nature.
The sexagenarian uses a bamboo bridge to return home. She catches fish from the river with hooks to eke out a living.
Chhayra earns Tk80 to Tk100 from selling the catch of the day in the Dakope Bazaar which is barely enough to get by.
She has to walk one mile every day to fetch drinking water from the filter set up next to the pond of sadar upazila.
Chhayra draws water from the river for cooking and uses alum as a purifier.
Pitha sales surge as winter nears
Winter cakes (pithas) are very popular with Bangladeshi people. Different types of pitha are made during the year in Bangladesh. But the winter season is the best season for making and having different types of delicious pitha. The best time to have pitha is in the foggy mornings and evenings of winter.
There are many traditional pitha items in Bangladesh. Pati Sapta Pitha, Vapa Pitha, Kuli Pitha, Chitoi Pitha and Teler Pitha are the most famous pithas in the winter season. Every winter season, pitha makers are bustling with hundreds of customers in the Shantidham area of Khulna.
Also read: Delicious Winter Pithas in Bangladesh: Where Savory, and Innovation Meets Tradition
Nuruzzaman Nur, a seasonal Pitha maker of Khulna makes pitha for customers every winter season. This year is no different. He has already started to sell Chitoi pitha for almost 15-20 days.
Voting begins in seven Khulna UPs
The third phase of Union Parishad (UP) elections began in seven unions of Khulna on Sunday morning.
The polling will continue in seven unions of Terkhada and Rupsha upazilas of the district from 8 am to 4 pm as the local administration has taken all the necessary measures for smooth and peaceful completion of the elections.
According to the local Election Commission office, the voting is going on in Madhupur, Azgara, Sachiadah, Chagladah, Terkhada Sadar and Barasat unions of Terkhada upazila and Ghatbhog union of Rupsha upazila.
READ: UP elections third phase set for Sunday
Thirty-one candidates are contesting the election as chairman candidates from seven unions while 276 as member candidates. Ninety female candidates are contesting the polls from the seats kept reserved for women.
READ: Law Minister attributes violence during UP elections to personal conflicts
There are some 1,23,891 voters in 68 centres of 63 wards. Of them, 62,486 are male and 61,405 women.
Police charge baton on BNP rally in Khulna; 15 injured
Baton-wielding police on Monday clashed with BNP activists during a rally in Khulna city injuring several people, including a journalist, local BNP said.
The district BNP organised the rally in front of its office here as part of a nationwide programme to pressure the government to allow party chief Begum Khaleda Zia to travel abroad for better treatment. She is now receiving medical treatment in Dhaka’s Evercare hospital for multiple health problems.
Police used batons to try to disperse the rally after it started at 12 noon, said Shamsuzzaman Chanchal, assistant office-secretary of Khulna BNP. He said police detained some of the leaders and members of the party.
Also read: Journo among 20 hurt as BNP men, police clash in Natore
Nazrul Islam Monju, president of city BNP said the party will not be silenced by such actions of overzealous police.
Monju said local police are not even heeding the home minister who said BNP can hold such rallies.
Also read: Police foil BNP's hunger strike prog in Khulna
Shahida Bibi becomes first transgender UP member in Khulna
In a first for the district, a member of the transgender community has won elected office during phase two of the UP elections last Thursday.
Shahida Bibi, 43, has been elected as a member of Maguraghona Union Parishad-6 (Council) in Khulna district.
Shahida’s victory was announced on Thursday after she contested a reserved seat for women of wards 4, 5, and 6 under the unionint the second phase of UP polls.
She won by a huge margin of 2,740 votes competing against four female candidates with her symbol Mic.
Shahida, a resident of ward-6 of Dumuria upazila, has been living for a long time in this area after building her own house. Her father Abdur Razaque Morol is a resident of Dakkhin Chuknagar village.
Read: Empowering transgender and hijra communities a priority of the state: NBR chairman
An ecstatic Shahida vowed to change society’s perspective towards the transgender community through her activities after winning.
“I have contested in the poll to ensure the rights for people of our community which I’ll try to attain with my utmost effort,” she said.
"People elected me for this position even though our community is neglected in society. I’m indebted to all who voted for me,” she said.
Shahida also thanked the only transgender voter in the three reserved wards, Moni Mukta, for her constant support and another group of her community who came from different areas on the day of election to show their support.
Meanwhile Moni Mukta said, “This is an achievement is for all of our community as people valued our efforts in the election campaign.”
Read: Tashnuva Anan makes history as first transgender woman to present the news in Bangladesh
When asked about future plans, Shahida said she wants to return the love she got from people by doing notable work for the locals.
A guideline was approved in 2013 at cabinet committee for granting Hijra or transgenders state recognition. Following that, in January, 2014, government issued a gazette granting state recognition to the transgender community.
In 2019, the Election Commission decided to enlist third gender as a gender identity in the voter list along with male and female.
Shortly afterwards, the country got its first transgender elected representative, shop owner Pinki Khatun was was elected a councillor in Kotchandpur, Jhenaidah district, also in Khulna division.
Two women die after being hit by train in Khulna
Two women died after being hit by a Dhaka-bound speeding train in Khulna city Wednesday night, police said Thursday.
The deceased were identified as Marjina, 40, and Shefali, 38.
Read: Mymensingh road crash leaves 4 dead
Molla Khabir, in-charge of Khulna Government Railway Police (GRP) Station, said the accident occurred around 10.30pm when the two were crossing the train tracks in the Afil Jute Mill area of the city.
"Sundarban Express hit them. While one of them died in the impact, another sustained severe injuries. Both were declared dead on arrival by doctors at Khulna Medical College and Hospital (KMCH)," the OC said.
Read: Auto-truck collision leaves 2 dead in Jamalpur
Transport strike in Khulna: Pressure of passengers on train
As long-distance bus services halted in protest against the sudden hike in fuel prices hundreds of people remained stranded at bus stations in Khulna on Friday.
Many of them, desperate to reach their destinations, crowded the railway station to try to catch a train.
The strike has been called by the Bangladesh Road Transport Workers' Federation and the Bangladesh Truck-Bus Owners' Association. Khula, like rest of the country, has been severly hit by the protest causing immense public sufferings.
It has hit hard especially those who had to travel to Dhaka from Khulna for emergency work. Many expressed anger over the situation.
No intra-city and long haul buses left Sonadanga, the central bus terminal in Khulna, since Friday morning. So passengers have to reach their destination by paying several times more fare in small cars including auto-rickshaws, mini pickups, microbuses. .
Kazi Nurul Hasan Baby, president of the Motor Workers' Union, said the owners and workers were in an immense financial crisis during the Covid pandemic. "Now the rise in fuel prices is creating a crisis again when we have start recovering from the losses."
Passengers started gathering at Khulna railway station to reach their destination by train. Many people are getting on the train by force even though they do not get tickets.
Md Sharif, who came from Labanchara to the railway station for a ticket, said, "I went out to go to Dhaka and got stuck here due to the strike. However, after a long wait I found out there were no tickets when I came to take the train to go to Dhaka."
Read: Commuters suffer as buses stay off roads
Khulna Railway Assistant Station Master Ashiq Ahmed said many people showed up at the station as they could not get buses since morning. "I am struggling to handle the extra passengers."
On the other hand, farmers and traders are suffering immensely for transporting their goods.
University admission seekers and government job seekers have suffered the most due to the suspension of bus services.
“My sister needs to attend her semester exams at Islamic University tomorrow (Saturday),” said a passenger named Kazi Iftekhar. That is why he has to go to Kushtia. "But I am worried about how I can go now amid this transport strike."
Buses plying between Dhaka and Khulna were seen lined up at the Sonadanga bus terminal in the Khulna metropolis and at the Royal intersection. Many people are coming and inquiring about the resumption of the bus movement. But no one has any answer.
Meanwhile, Khulna District Bus Minibus Coach Owners' Association's Joint Secretary Anwar Hossain Sona said no bus left Khulna due to the strike. All intra-city and long-haul buses are standing at the terminal. The strike will continue until any further decision from central leaders.
On Thursday, bus, truck and covered van owners called an indefinite nationwide strike from Friday in protest against fuel price hike.
Convenor of Bangladesh Truck-Covered Van, Tank Lorry and Prime Movers Owners and Workers Coordination Council Md Rustom Ali announced their decision on Thursday following an emergency meeting of the organization.
Leaders of the organization said the government raised the toll of Bangabandhu Bridge and Muktarpur Bridge from 257 per cent to 300 per cent “illogically” on November 2 and then it raised the prices of fuel, said a press release.
Read: Counter-protest: DU admission seekers block Dhaka-Aricha highway
Transport movement had remained suspended for a long time due to Covid in the last two years. When the transport owners are trying to make a turnaround from their huge losses caused by Covid shutdown, the decision of raising bridge toll and fuel price was announced, they added.
On Wednesday, the government raised the prices of diesel and kerosene at the retail level.
As per the new price, the diesel and kerosene will be selling at Tk 80 per litre instead of Tk 65 with effect from zero hour on Thursday, said a press release of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources.
It said the prices of other petroleum products will remain unchanged.
It clarified that the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) has been incurring a loss of Tk 20 crore per day as it is selling diesel at Tk 13.01 lower per litre and furnace oil at Tk 6.21 per litre, lower than their imported prices.
It said the petroleum prices have been readjusted against the backdrop of price hike of petroleum on the international market.
National Cricket: Khulna thrashes Dhaka with an innings defeat
Khulna Division piled up a convincing innings and 27-run victory against Dhaka Division on the 4th and last day of the National Cricket League (NCL) at Academy ground of the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
Replying to Khulna Division’s mammoth first innings total of 419 runs, featuring 175 runs by Nahidul Islam and 67 runs by Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Dhaka Division resumed the 2nd innings with an overnight score of 46 for 1 and were all out for 161 runs in 112.5 overs to concede an embracing innings defeat.
Earlier, Dhaka Division had been the victim of follow-on as they were bundled out for 231 runs in the first innings.
Saif Hasan (44), Raqibul Hasan (37) and Abdul Mazid (36) were the main scorers for Dhaka in the 2nd innings.
National coloured Mehidy Hasan Miraz did the major damage in the 2nd innings of Dhaka grabbing six wickets for 41 runs while Raihanuddin claimed three wickets for 58 runs.
Nahidul Islam of Dhaka, who hammered 175 runs off 256 balls featuring 12 fours and six sixes, was adjudged man of the match.
In the day’s another league match at Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, touring Rangpur Division defeated hosts Sylhet Division by six wickets on the 4th and final day (Wednesday).
READ: T20 World Cup: Tigers in desperate search for consolation win
Sylhet Division, which bundled out cheaply for 113 runs in the first innings, resumed the 2nd innings Wednesday morning with overnight total 258 for 7 and were dismissed for 292 runs in 119.2 overs.
One down batter Amite Hasan of Shylet Division hammered a superb innings of unbeaten 170 runs in the first innings in 385 balls hitting 18 boundaries in addition to first innings 20 runs, was adjudged the man of the match.
Rangpur Division with first innings total 266 runs, opened the 2nd innings on the final day and reached their target making match-winner 140 for the loss of four wickets in 42.5 overs with Naeem Islam scoring 80-ball 50 runs, featuring five boundaries.
READ: ICC Ranking Update: Nabi catches up Shakib
The day’s other two matches between Chattogram Division and Dhaka Metro, and Barishal Division and Rajshahi Division, ended in a draw at the BKSP ground in Savar and Sheikh Kamal International Stadium in Cox’s Bazar respectively on Wednesday.
Man to die for killing wife in Khulna
A court in Khulna on Sunday sentenced a man to death for killing his wife in 2020.
The convict is Rafiq Sheikh of Fakirhat upazila in Bagerhat district. The court also fined him Tk 50,000.
Read: Faridpur man to die for killing wife in arson attack
The court also sentenced Rafiq to seven years imprisonment under another section of the case and fined him Tk 25,000, in default, to suffer one year more rigorous imprisonment.
Khulna District and Sessions Judge Mashiur Rahman Chowdhury handed down the verdict.
According to the prosecution, Mariam Begum, 25 of Fakirhat upazila got married to Rafiq in 2017 and the couple used to fight over family .
Rafique used torture Mariam suspecting that she had extramarital affair.
Rafique took Mariam to a betel leaf field where he killed her hitting with a brick and set her ablaze by pouring kerosene on August 12, 2020.
Police recovered the charred body of Mariam, two days after the incident on August 15.
Read:Feni man to die for killing wife on Facebook live
Halima Begum, mother of the victim, lodged a complaint with Rupsha Police Station.
A case was filed against four people in this connection.
On December 31, 2020, police submitted a chargesheet accusing Rafique.
After examining the records and 15 witnesses, Khulna District and Sessions Judge handed down the verdict.