Manikganj
Manikganj Jubo League leader held in Dhaka
Police have arrested convener of Manikganj district unit Awami League from Dhaka’s Dhanmondi area.
The arrestee is Abdur Razzak Raja, also a former councilor of Manikganj municipality.
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Amanullah Aman, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station, said a team of police arrested Raja from in front of Anwar Khan Modern Medical College and Hospital around 11 pm on Wednesday.
He was wanted in three cases filed for carrying out attacks on students during July uprising and arson attack on the BNP’s local office.
2 weeks ago
Titas Gas disconnects illegal lines of Manikganj washing factory
Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution PLC has disconnected the illegal gas connection at Mubtadi Washing Factory, a large washing plant located on the Dhaka-Aricha Highway in Manikganj as part of ongoing drive against illegal gas connections across its command areas.
According to Titas Gas, the owner of the factory Md. Shafiqul Islam, was illegally using gas by installing two unauthorised service lines – one 02" (approximately 100 feet) and one 01" (approximately 300 feet) – from the existing 10" × 50 PSIG distribution line on the west side of the Dhaka-Aricha highway.
A boiler with a capacity of 500 kg and nine dryers in the factory were using gas at a load of 3,300 cubic feet per hour, all through illegal connections.
Titas Gas officials capped the illegal service lines and filed a general diary (GD) with the Savar Police Station regarding the matter.
Titas Gas PLC has been conducting drives to identify and sever illegal gas lines since the new managing director took charge.
Titas employees, cops attacked during drive against illegal gas line
As part of the ongoing campaign, Titas Gas, led by an executive magistrate, has been carrying out operations in areas including Keraniganj, Kamrangirchar, Munshiganj, Narayanganj, Savar, Tongi, Gazipur, Dhanmondi, Mirpur, Gulshan, Mymensingh, Meghnaghat, and Narsingdi.
Between September 2024 and January 14, 2025, a total of 19,077 illegal gas lines including 149 industrial, 94 commercial, and 18,834 residential connections were disconnected.
Besides, 44,700 burners were disconnected, and 95 kilometers of pipeline were removed as part of the operation.
4 weeks ago
Woman hacked to death in Manikganj
A woman was hacked to death by some unidentified miscreants at Rathura village in Ghior upazila of Manikganj district on Wednesday.
The deceased was Laila Arzu, 62, wife of Sekandar Ali, a resident of Rathura village in Ghior upazila.
Sekandar Ali, the victim's husband, said that his wife had been suffering from cancer for a long time.
Upon returning home from a local market around 8:00 am, he found his wife's body lying in a pool of blood on the floor next to the bed, said her husband.
Read: Grocer hacked to death in Natore
Rafiqul Islam, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Ghior Police Station, said police along with detectives reached the scene to investigate the incident upon receiving the news.
The OC said the victim's body was sent to Manikganj Medical College Hospital for an autopsy and investigation is underway.
4 weeks ago
Students of Manikganj Women College demand justice for fellow
Students of Manikganj Government Women's College held a human chain on Sunday demanding exemplary punishment of those responsible for the death of a female student.
The victim Tanushree Roy was a first-year student in the Bengali department of the college.
Her classmates, along with hundreds of students from other departments, gathered in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office at noon demanding a proper investigation into Tanushree's death and justice for the victim.
After the human chain, the students marched in protest and submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner and the Superintendent of Police.
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Tanushree Roy, daughter of Dinabandhu Roy from Dakshin Chailla area in Manikganj Sadar upazila, married Atunu Biswas, son of Atal Biswas from Bongram area of Manikganj Municipality on October 3, 2024, said her father.
.Since the marriage, Tanushree used to physically and mentally tortured by her in-laws, who also restricted her contact with her family and prevented her from using her mobile phone.
S.M. Aman Ullah, the officer-in-charge (OC) of Manikganj Sadar Police Station, said that a case was filed at the police station based on the complaint from the deceased's father for inciting suicide.
Following the case, Tanushree’s husband, Atunu Biswas, and his in-laws were arrested and sent to jail, he added.
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Earlier on Thursday night, police recovered the body of Tanushree Roy hanging from a fan with a scarf around her neck, at her husband's residence in Bongram area of Manikganj Municipality.
1 month ago
How a bountiful harvest can end up hurting farmers
Despite a bumper harvest, cauliflower farmers in Manikganj district are facing significant financial losses this season due to a supply glut.
While cauliflower prices remain high in other parts of the country, including Dhaka, farmers in Manikganj are struggling to recover production costs. Wholesale buyers are unwilling to pay previous rates because of the abundance in supply, which drags prices down.
Farmers report that the production cost for each cauliflower exceeds Tk 10 but they are now forced to sell them for only Tk 2 to Tk 3 per piece.
Agriculture officers attribute the crisis to unexpected rainfall, which has caused a surplus in production compared to market demand.
They believe proper storage facilities could have helped mitigate the losses, as they would be able to regulate the supply in line with demand.
Many farmers expanded cauliflower cultivation this year, encouraged by good profits in previous seasons. Early winter cauliflower fetched prices as high as Tk 30 to Tk 40 per piece, but prices have now plummeted to Tk 2 to Tk 3, leaving growers to bear substantial financial losses.
Farmers explain that cultivating one bigha of land costs approximately Tk 30,000 to Tk 35,000.
This includes expenses for seedlings (Tk 12,000), plowing (Tk 3,000), daily labor (Tk 1,200), fertilizers and pesticides (Tk 5,000), and annual land leases (Tk 20,000). The current prices mean they are incurring huge losses.
Farmers share their plight
Bashir Ahmed, a farmer of Airamara village in Saturia upazila, said he earned good profits from cauliflower cultivation last year. Encouraged, he planted cauliflower on 18 bighas of land this year. While he earned around Tk 15 lakh from early-harvested cauliflower from 10 bighas, the crop on the remaining 8 bighas is rotting in the fields due to lack of buyers. "Some of the cauliflowers are being fed to cattle," he lamented.
Read: Jhenaidah farmers making good profit by cultivating off-season cauliflower, cabbage
Abdur Rashid, a farmer of Dhakuli village in Sadar upazila, cultivated cauliflower on 50 bighas of land this year. "I spent Tk 30,000 to Tk 35,000 per bigha, but I am now forced to sell each cauliflower for just Tk 2 to Tk 3," he said, estimating losses of Tk 30 to Tk 35 lakh.
Nakim Uddin Bepari of Meghshimul village said, “The cauliflowers on my two bighas of land are ready for sale, but I cannot afford the labor and transportation costs as they exceed the selling price.
1 month ago
Diarrhea cases surge in Manikganj, children most affected
Manikganj is witnessing a sharp rise in diarrhea cases, with children being the most affected.
The 250-bed district hospital's diarrhea unit, which has a capacity of 20 beds, is struggling to accommodate patients.
Many patients are being treated on the floor due to overcrowding, putting additional pressure on nurses and doctors.
According to hospital authorities, the number of diarrhea patients began increasing in October.
The unit treated 359 patients in October and 355 in November. The trend continued into December, with over 600 patients admitted from the start of the month until December 23.
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Alpana Akter, in charge of the diarrhea ward, said that around 20 patients are arriving daily, most of whom are children. Each child is often accompanied by two or three family members, exacerbating the space shortage. Some patients, unable to secure space, have opted for private clinics or hospitals.
Shiuli Begum, the mother of 4-year-old Akib, who is currently admitted, said that her child had been experiencing vomiting and diarrhea.
Despite some improvement after two days of treatment, symptoms persist. She also raised concerns about the ward's unhygienic conditions, which may pose additional health risks to patients and caregivers.
Furthermore, many essential medicines are unavailable, forcing families to purchase them from outside.
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Dr. ABM Touhiduzzaman, residential medical officer (RMO) of the hospital, confirmed that the diarrhea unit has only 20 beds but is accommodating 30 to 40 patients daily. He acknowledged that overcrowding has led to deteriorating sanitary conditions.
However, the nurses and doctors on duty at the diarrhoea unit said they were providing medical services to the best of their ability.
They are struggling to get treatment due to the pressure of additional patients. There are enough food saline, paracetamol medicines for diarrhea patients, but due to lack of supply of Ciprocin medicines, including cholera saline, patients have to buy them from outside.
Pediatric specialist Dr. Nilufar Yasmin highlighted that cold-related illnesses are contributing to the influx of child patients. She attributed the increase in diarrhea cases primarily to rotavirus infections, which are more common in winter. To prevent further cases, she advised maintaining hygiene, keeping children warm, and avoiding cold foods.
Hospital Superintendent Dr. Baha Uddin said that additional measures are being taken to manage the patient overflow, including plans to transfer diarrhea patients to other wards. However, the current situation remains critical due to space constraints and medicine shortages.
1 month ago
Illegal sand extraction exacerbating riverbank erosion, threatening lives in Manikganj
Manikganj's Shibalaya upazila is witnessing rampant illegal sand extraction using dredgers on the Alokdia Char of the Jamuna River, severely affecting homes, farmland, and public infrastructure.
Four dredgers and two shallow machines are reportedly extracting sand, causing extensive riverbank erosion that has already displaced several families.
Villagers claim the erosion has engulfed farmland, homes, and even a mosque, with two primary schools and the Mujib Fort, a government structure built at a cost of Tk 3 crore, at risk. Residents have filed written complaints to the district administration and the Ministry of Shipping, demanding an immediate halt to the illegal activities.
During a visit to the area, six sand-extraction machines and multiple bulkheads were found operating about three kilometers away from the government-leased sand field in South Teota. These machines extract sand near the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh's (PGCB) electricity poles, endangering critical infrastructure and exacerbating river erosion.
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1 month ago
Dense fog: Ferry services resume on two river routes in Manikganj
Ferry services on Aricha-Kazirhat and Paturia-Daulatdia routes in Manikganj resumed on Thursday morning after seven and ten hours of suspension respectively due to dense fog.
Nasir Chowdhury, deputy general manager of Aricha Sector of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation, said the ferry services resumed around 10:30am.
BIWTC authorities said, ferry services on the Paturia-Daulatdia route in the Padma River remained suspended from 3am and the Aricha-Kazirhat route from 12:00am.
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2 months ago
Chili growers in Manikganj worried over low production due to drought
Amid the skyrocketing prices of daily essentials, including vegetables, in kitchen markets across the country, growers in Manikganj district are worried about counting huge losses due to low production of chili caused by extreme drought.
The chilies of Harirampur and Shibalaya upazilas in the district are known for chili production. In previous years, these regions not only met local demand but also exported to other districts and even overseas.
But this year, most chili farmers in the district are experiencing poor yields, with plants wilting and leaves curling up. No new flowers or fruits have been seen on the plants, leaving farmers disappointed.
According to the local Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), a total of 3,717 hectares of land have been brought under green chili cultivation this season, which is 176 hectares more than the previous year.
DAE sources blamed excessive heat and a lack of timely rainfall for the poor yield.
Samsuddin, a farmer in Harirampur upazila, said, “I planted chilies on two bighas of land, and initially, the yield was good, but due to oversupply, the price was low, around Tk 40 per kg. However, as the drought appeared and the crop field started to suffer damage, the price surged to Tk 150-160 per kg.”
He also said that he managed to sell chilies worth Tk one lakh and made a profit of around Tk 20,000.
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Nur Hossain, a chili grower, said he cultivated green chilies on 4.5 bighas of land after borrowing Tk 30,000. He is now frustrated over the poor yield and the damage to his chili fields due to drought.
Like him, many farmers in these areas are also affected and are now worried about how to recoup their losses caused by the damage.
Abdur Rahman, another chili farmer from Basta village, said despite several phases of irrigation, the extreme heat continued to damage the crops, and even the surviving plants are not producing chilies. He has yet to harvest even a single maund from his fields.
Afsar Uddin, of Borongail village in Shibalaya upazila, said that despite spending Tk 40,000 on seedlings, fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation, he is harvesting less than two kilograms of chilies per day, instead of the expected two maunds.
Farmers said the shortage of chilies has driven prices up dramatically. In various wholesale markets, the price of green chilies now ranges from Tk 350 to Tk 380 per kg.
Local wholesalers report that the production decline has created a severe supply crunch, with most chilies now being sourced from other districts like Kushtia, Jhenaidah, Meherpur, and Chuadanga.
Additionally, imported Indian chilies are being brought in through Letters of Credit (LCs) to meet the demand.
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Wholesale traders at the Jagirbandar Dhaleshwari wholesale market said that due to the shortage of the local variety of green chilies, the price of chilies has become dearer.
Abdus Sattar, a wholesale trader, said, “Wholesalers from Dhaka and other markets depend on the chilies we supply. If imports from India stop for even a day, prices double. Moreover, half of the imported chilies arrive rotten, which further drives up the price.”
Currently, retail prices of green chilies have surged to Tk 500-520 per kg due to the high wholesale costs.
Dr. Rabiah Noor Ahmed, deputy director of the local DAE, said, "The continuous heatwave has significantly impacted chili farmers in Manikganj. They failed to get their desired production due to the lack of rain in time. However, the situation could improve if the weather becomes favorable. We've also sought advice from the Spice Research Center in Bogura to address the leaf curl disease."
3 months ago
Nipah virus: Two patients from Manikganj die in Dhaka
Two people from Manikganj, who were infected with Nipah virus after consuming raw date juice, died in Dhaka while undergoing treatment.
The deceased were Babul Miah, 38, son of former union parishad member Mainuddin, and Lutfor Rahman, 27, son of Nazimuddin, hailing from Putail union of Manikganj’s Sadar upazila.
District Civil Surgeon Dr Mohammad Moazzem Ali Khan Chowdhury confirmed that Babul died after being infected with Nipah virus while Putail Union Parishad Chairman Jasim Uddin confirmed Lutfor’s death.
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It was learnt from the civil surgeon's office that Babul was admitted to Manikganj 250-bed General Hospital with fever and headache on January 16. A day later, a team from Dhaka’s International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) came and did his medical checkup.
On January 18, he was shifted to a private hospital in Dhaka when his condition worsened and subsequently it was detected that he was infected with Nipah virus.
Babul breathed his last while undergoing treatment in the private hospital last Saturday, the civil surgeon’s office said.
Local UP Chairman Jasim said Lutfor had been suffering from fever, headache and other complications after drinking raw date juice.
Though initially he took medicine from a local pharmacy, later he was hospitalized in Dhaka when his condition deteriorated, he said, adding that Lutfor died while undergoing treatment there on January 16.
Civil Surgeon Dr Moazzem said they had information on Babul’s death from the Nipah virus but are not aware of Lufor’s cause of death.
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According to icddr,b, consumption of raw date juice, contaminated with bat saliva or urine, causes Nipah virus.
1 year ago