United News of Bangladesh

The operations of all modes of transport have remained suspended since Sunday morning as an indefinite road blockade continues in Khagrachhari district, protesting the alleged rape of a schoolgirl. Although no untoward incidents have been reported so far, security has been tightened in the district town and surrounding areas. Police, along with seven platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and army patrols, are maintaining order. The blockade follows Saturday’s clashes and protests. The situation remains tense, with residents staying indoors in fear. Business establishments, including shops across the town and suburbs, remain shut. Meanwhile, the local administration on Saturday imposed Section 144 for an indefinite period in Khagrachhari municipality, Sadar upazila, and Guimara. Section 144 enforced in Khagrachari amid blockade over schoolgirl rape Deputy Commissioner ABM Iftekharul Islam Khandakar said the restriction will remain in force until the situation improves. The unrest stems from a September 23 incident, when three youths allegedly raped an indigenous eighth-grade student in the Singinala area while she was returning home from private tuition. The victim’s father filed a case with Sadar Police Station that night against three unidentified men. Police, with the help of the army, arrested a suspect, Nayan Shil, the following morning.

An alleged regional commander of the Mog Liberation Party(MLP) was killed during an army operation in Khagrachari’s Shantinagar area on Friday morning, while another suspect was arrested with arms and ammunition. The deceased was identified as Kongchaiñyo Marma, 31, son of Aungsazai Marma of Mahalchhari. Security officials said he was the prime suspect in the abduction of two technicians from a Robi mobile tower in Chadurkhil, Manikchhari, in April this year. According to army sources, troops from the Sindukchari Zone first arrested suspected insurgent Ismail Hossain in a predawn raid, recovering firearms and ammunition. Based on his information, a second raid was conducted at a rented house owned by businessman Sujit Dey in Shantinagar later in the morning. 3 DB police injured in attack during operation in Bogura Sensing the presence of security forces, Kongchaiñyo allegedly jumped from the second floor of the building, sustaining critical injuries. He was taken to Khagrachhari Sadar Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Local residents reported hearing several gunshots during the operation. A search of the premises led to the recovery of one pistol, five LGs, 21 cartridges and 18 pistol bullets. Dr Dipa Tripura of Khagrachari Sadar Hospital said the man had died before arrival, with injuries consistent with a fall from height and no bullet wounds. OC Abdul Baten Mridha of Khagrachari Sadar Police Station said a police inquest was conducted and an investigation is underway. The army’s Guimara Region Sindukchhari Zone said details will be shared in a press briefing.

Two people went missing after being swept away by strong currents in rivers in Dighinala and Lakshmichhari upazilas of Khagrachari, amid days of heavy rainfall that has also triggered landslides in the hilly district. Khagrachhari Superintendent of Police (SP) Md Arefin Jewel said that around 9am on Friday, a youth named Ukraching Marma, 19, was swept away while fishing in the Lakshmichhari canal near Bijoy Karbari Para under Lakshmichhari union. In a separate incident, Tarti Chakma, 55, was carried away by the strong current of the Maini River while collecting wood in Dighinala upazila. Local fire service personnel have launched search and rescue operations to trace the missing individuals. Bandarban gets ready to tackle rain-spawned disasters Meanwhile, continuous downpours have triggered landslides in several parts of Khagrachari. To prevent casualties, the administration has started relocating residents living at the base of hills to safer locations.

A man was arrested in a case filed for raping a 16-year-old girl in Pachmaile area of Khagrachari Sadar Upazila on Friday. The arrestee is Gopinath Tripura, 22, son of Olod Mohan Tripura of the upazila. "On November 27, the accused violated the victim in the forest adjacent to the road in the Pachmaile area," said Abdul Baten Mridha, officer-in-charge (OC) of the Khagrachari Sadar Police Station. Gopinath attempted to strangle the victim after the rape. According to the OC, the accused Gopinath abandoned the victim when she became unconscious, believing her dead. Later, a case was filed at Khagrachari Sadar Police Station following a complaint lodged by the victim's mother. According to locals, the victim was taken to Khagrachari Modern District Sadar Hospital after being recovered while unconscious. The OC said, “The victim is in critical condition and receiving treatment at the hospital. She has multiple injury marks on her body.” The OC further stated that Gopinath would be sent to court in the afternoon. A bus worker dies after the vehicle catches fire  

At least two people were killed and three others injured when a log-laden truck overturned on the busy Mahalchari-Jaliyapara road in Guimara upazila of Khagrachhari early on Tuesday. The deceased were identified as Md Raju, 35, and Md Ilias, 36, two workers from Gacchabil village in Manikchhari upazila. The accident occurred around 7am when the truck driver lost control of the overloaded vehicle, police said. Also read: Cop mowed down by truck in Dinajpur "The truck overturned near the Toikarma area, leaving the two workers travelling in the vehicle dead on the spot," said Md Rashid, officer-in-charge of Guimara police station. The injured were first taken to Manikchhari upazila health complex. "From there, two of them were shifted to Chattogram Medical College and Hospital. Their condition is critical," said the OC. Also read: One killed, three injured on Dhaka-Chattogram highway in car-truck crash

A van driver and runner of Sundarban Courier Service have been kidnapped allegedly by some armed indigenous youths from Ramgarh upazila in Khagrachari on Saturday night. The kidnapped staffers of the courier service are Md Abbas, driver of the van from Bhola, and runner Md Al Amin from Noakhali. The kidnappers however released the assistant of the driver Solayman during the incident. Also read: 4 kidnapped fishermen rescued in Ctg, 5 robbers held Md Salauddin, manager of Khagrachari office of Sundarban Courier Service, said: “The kidnappers at first demanded Tk 3 lakh calling from the driver’s personal number, later they raised it to Tk 5 lakh.” The covered van was heading for Dhaka with postal cargo from Khagrachari sadar upazila when it was stopped by some seven or eight armed indigenous youths on motorcycles near Datarampara point on Ramgarh-Jaliyapara road, Solayman told UNB. “They took the van a bit inside the Datarampara road, and took Abbas and Al Amin on their motorcycles on gunpoint, as we failed to show any receipt of having paid extortion fee,” he said. A source wishing anonymity said, “The courier office authority held a meeting with the leaders of the kidnapping gang but as they could not agree on the amount of ransom the staff were not released. Also the kidnappers stopped contacting from Sunday noon.” Mohammad Shamsujjaman, Officer-in-Charge of Ramgarh police station, said the van was recovered from the spot and taken under custody. Also read: 2 held for raping minor girl after kidnap in Barishal “Law enforcing forces are conducting drives to rescue the kidnaped staffers but no complaint has been lodged yet with police yet in this regard,” said the OC.

An army patrol team on Wednesday held a UPDF member  from Giriful area of Khagrachari’s Panchhari road. The arrestee was identified as Swapan Chakma, 40, chief collector of the original UPDF under Prasit Khisa. A foreign firearm, three rounds of ammunition, a magazine, and some drugs were recovered, said army sources. Read: Army drive at UPDF den: Barracks, training centre destroyed in Khagrachhari Swapan admitted during interrogation to being associated with the UPDF since 2016. Khagrachhari Sadar Police SI Abu Hanif and SI Md Saleh Uddin said that Swapan was  the chief collector of UPDF. He was held in a joint operation by army and police. A case in this regard was being prepared, SI Abu Hanif said.

Police arrested a man on Saturday for allegedly beating his mother to death over family feuding at Ramgarh upazila in Khagrachari. Police said. Son Ibrahim, 24, was immediately held with a murder case lodged with police against him, said local OC Md Shamsuzzaman. According to police, at one point of altercation Ibrahim started beating his mother Bibi Rahima,60, around 10:30 pm leaving her with a head injury at their house in Chowdhury Para area. Also read: Man beaten to death over land dispute in Sylhet Bibi died on the spot. Informed by the neighbours later police recovered the body, said the officer-in-charge of Ramgarh police station. The body has been sent for an autopsy, said the OC. Also read: Woman beaten dead in Kushtia over dowry, husband held

At least 15 children have died from cold-related causes in Khagrachari district in the past three months, a doctor said on Saturday. Resident Medical Officer of District Sadar Hospital, Dr Ripol Bappi said, “Many children in the district have been suffering from cold-related diseases like diarrhoea and pneumonia.” “In the past three months, some 114 children have been admitted to the hospital with cold-related problems and of them, 15 have unfortunately died,” he said. Besides, the physicians of the hospital are struggling to provide health services to the patients due to manpower shortage as only one physician is available here. Normal life was affected as several parts of Bangladesh reeled under cold wave-like conditions on Saturday. According to the regular bulletin, “Mild to moderate cold wave is sweeping over Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions and the districts of Gopalgonj, Tangail, Kishoreganj, , Feni, Jashore, Kushtia, Chuadanga  and Barishal and it may continue.” Weather may remain dry over the country. On the other hand, moderate to thick fog may occur over northwestern parts and light to moderate fog may occur at places elsewhere over the country during midnight to Sunday morning, according to the bulletin. Night and day temperatures may remain nearly unchanged over the country.

Built in the 80’s the bailey bridges in Khagrachari hilly district, were meant for carrying a maximum of 5-ton trucks. Today, goods-laden transports weighing up to 25 tons cross the shaky dilapidated bridges making the structures vulnerable to accidents. “The bailey bridges have now become death traps,” said the driver of a 25-ton truck that regularly carry construction materials from the plains to the hills, speaking on condition of anonymity. According to the Khagrachari Roads and Highways Department, there are 10 risky bailey bridges in Khagrachari. Read Culture of apathy: Villagers’ 50-year wait for a concrete bridge doesn’t end Md Kashem, vice-president of Khagrachari Chamber of Commerce, said the bailey bridges in the district are about 40 years old. Now these bridges often collapse under weight of vehicles snapping road communications. The Khagrachari Roads and Urban Development Department has promised to that concrete bridges will be constructed to replace all bailey bridges in phases.