United News of Bangladesh

Auto-rickshaw drivers blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway in Savar for about one and a half hours on Saturday, demanding the withdrawal of fines and removal of restriction on their movement. Members of the Auto-rickshaw Drivers Association started the protest around 11 am by placing their vehicles on the road in  Pakiza area, bringing traffic on the Dhaka-bound lane to a standstill and causing long tailbacks. The association alleged that money was being illegally collected from moving auto-rickshaws and protested against recent fines imposed for violating traffic rules. Locals said slow-moving auto-rickshaws have long been operating on Dhaka-Aricha highway despite restrictions, which has led to a rise in accidents. Following complaints from locals, Savar Highway Police began enforcing rules and fined drivers Tk 26 each for violations. Angered by the action, the drivers staged the road blockade to press their demands. Police from Savar Model Police Station reached the spot around 12:30 pm and called the drivers for talks. Savar ‘serial killer’ confesses to six murders: Police The protesters then withdrew, restoring traffic movement. Arman Ali, Officer-in-Charge of Savar Model Police Station, said the situation was brought under control and traffic on the highway is now normal.

A motorcyclist was killed in an accident on Dhaka-Aricha highway in Charkhand Golora area of Manikganj Sadar Upazila on Saturday. The deceased is Tara Mia, 35, son of Moslem Mia of Jagir Union in Manikganj sadar upazila. Motorcyclist killed in Manikganj road crash Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Golra Highway police station Sohel Sarwar said when Tara Mia was going to work on a motorcycle in the morning a speeding bus of Selfie Paribahan hit him, leaving him dead on the spot. Legal action will be taken in this regard, he added.    

Thousands of holidaymakers, particularly readymade garment workers, faced severe traffic congestion, inflated fares and overcrowded transport options on Thursday as they departed from Savar and nearby industrial areas ahead of Eid. Heavy traffic gridlock was reported from morning to noon on the Dhaka-Aricha and Nabinagar-Chandra highways due to an overwhelming surge in vehicle and passenger numbers. The situation worsened further due to continuous rainfall since the morning, compounding the hardship of travellers. Taking advantage of the Eid rush, transport workers were allegedly charging extra fares, forcing passengers to pay well above the regular rates. Many commuters were seen booking seats by offering higher payments just to secure a spot. From early morning, long queues formed at transport counters across Savar and surrounding areas. Mass exodus from Dhaka begins as 10-day Eid holiday kicks off Key points such as Hemayetpur, Amin Bazar, Genda, Ulail, Nabinagar, Baipail, Sripur and Jirani Bazar witnessed long tailbacks, with travellers complaining of a shortage of seats and steep ticket prices. Parvin Akhter Paru, a garment worker waiting to travel to Rangpur, said, “I've been standing for hours. Even when a seat is available, they ask for nearly double the fare. A Tk 650 ticket is being sold for Tk 1,200 to Tk 1,400.” Sentu Mia, another passenger heading to Jashore, said, “They’re asking Tk 800 for a Tk 400 trip. We’re poor people, what are we supposed to do?”  

Battery-run autorickshaw drivers  blocked Dhaka-Aricha highway for around half an hour on Thursday protesting extortions allegedly by police in Savar. The drivers under the banner of Autorickshaw Drivers’ Association started the demonstration from Kalma Bus Stand carrying sticks and ended at the C&B Bus Stand after, disrupting the vehicular movement on the busy highway in the morning. Titumir College students block roads at Mohakhali Association’s leader Shamim Hossain alleged that police allow those autorickshaws to run on the highway if they pay extortions as per demand. Otherwise, those who don't pay the money are harassed and fined, he said. One killed, 15 injured in Dhaka-Ctg highway bus crash He demanded an end to the extortion and the harassment.

Traffic on the Dhaka-Aricha highway was brought to a standstill for five hours on Wednesday as hundreds of residents from Golra village staged a protest, demanding the reopening of a blocked road in Saturia upazila of Manikganj district. The demonstration caused severe disruption, leading to a 10km long traffic jam on both sides of the highway, leaving commuters stranded for hours. According to witnesses, the villagers took to the streets around 11 am, alleging that two companies—Tarasima Apparels and Peyal Engineering and Construction Limited—had unlawfully closed off a vital local road by erecting a brick wall fence. Dismissed employees of S Alam-owned banks stage road blockade in Ctg The protesters also staged a sit-in in front of the main gates of the two factories, demanding immediate action. Shahinul Islam, officer-in-charge of Saturia Police Station, said efforts were underway to mediate the situation and find a resolution.  

Miscreants set a Dhaka-bound passenger bus on fire at Tara Bridge area of Manikganj Sadar upazila on Dhaka-Aricha highway during hartal this morning (October 29, 2023).  Although there were no casualties, most parts of the bus were burnt.  Read: Buses to ply amid BNP-Jaamat's hartal Sunday Being informed, the fire brigade personnel rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control after half an hour of efforts.  Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Golra Highway Police Station Sukhendu Basu said that some men got on the bus in the guise of passengers. When the bus crossed the Tara Bridge, they stopped the bus and called all the passengers to leave the bus.  Read: BNP calls countrywide hartal tomorrow  “Later, the bus was set on fire. Efforts are on to nab the miscreants and bring them to book,” the OC said. 

The body of an unidentified man was recovered by the Dhaka-Aricha Highway under Dhamrai upazila of Dhaka this morning, police said.  Azizul Huq, officer-in-charge of Savar Highway Police Station, said the deceased, aged around 35, and was wearing lungi and T-shirt.  Locals spotted the body by the highway in Dautiya area near Kalampur Bus Stand this morning and informed police in this regard, he said.  Read more: Unidentified man's body recovered from Jatrabari pavement The body was recovered from the spot around 9am and brought to the police station, the OC said, adding that a process was underway to take legal actions in this connection. OC Azizul said that the victim may have died after being hit by a vehicle.

The Jahangirnagar University unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) on Friday blocked the Dhaka-Aricha highway, protesting the anarchy unleashed by BNP in the capital's Nayapaltan on Wednesday. It caused immense sufferings to the people who attempted to reach or leave the capital city. The BCL action came ahead of the BNP's Dhaka rally on Saturday, The BCL brought out a procession at 4:00pm and blocked the highway for about one hour. Akhteruzzaman Sohel, president of JU BCL unit said, "We are in the street to protest against the attack on law enforcement agencies by BNP leaders and activists at Nayapaltan". Read more: BNP set to hold rally in Dhaka to start simultaneous anti-govt movement "However, we are keeping an eye on the smooth journey of emergency vehicles including ambulances", he added. Mohammad Roni Hossain, assistant proctor of Jahangirnagar University, said the JU BCL unit took to the street to protest against the BNP's ongoing terrorism and anarchy. But emergency services remained normal despite the blockade, he said.

Six people including three officials of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) were killed and 40 others injured as a bus rammed two vehicles at Boliarpur on Dhaka-Aricha highway in Savar Sunday morning. Four of the deceased were identified as BAEC engineer Kawsar Hossain, 33, testing officer Arifuzzaman, 32, scientific officer Puja Sarkar, 33, and bus driver Rajib, 30, said SI Sabur Khan, in-charge of Aminbazar police outpost. The identities of two other deceased couldn’t be known immediately, said he. Of the injured, 15 are undergoing treatment in critical condition at Enam Medical College and Hospital in Savar. According to the police, a speeding bus ploughed through a road divider after its driver lost control over the steering and then crashed into a minibus carrying BAEC staff and a cattle-laden truck at the same time. Also read:Truck driver held after engineer’s death in Bagerhat road crash Three people died on the spot and 40 others sustained injuries, SI Sabur said.   On information, Savar Fire Service members and police reached the spot and rushed the injured to Enam Medical College and Hospital in Savar. Severely injured bus driver Rajib and the two unidentified people died while undergoing treatment there, said hospital sources. Also read: Out on joyride to visit Padma Bridge, 5 killed in Keraniganj road crash The bodies of the deceased were recovered by Savar Police, said the SI.

Three people including a woman and her son were killed and fifteen others injured when a bus crashed into a roadside tree on Dhaka-Aricha highway at Muljan in Sadar upazila of Manikganj district on Wednesday. Two of the deceased were identified as Hasna Begum, 50, Hafizul Islam, 35, son of Hasna of Nischintapur village in Tangail district while the identity of another deceased could not be known immediately. Also read: Road crashes claim 589 lives in March: Report Abdur Rauf Sarkar, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station, said the accident occurred around 2 pm when the Dhaka-bound ‘Village Line Paribahan’ bus hit the tree after its driver lost control over steering, leaving two people dead on the spot and 16 others injured. One of the injured died on way to hospital and the rest were admitted to 250-bed Sadar Hospital. Also read: 3 killed, 12 injured in Magura road crash On information, police seized the bus but its driver and helper managed to flee the scene.