The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement has announced a mass gathering at Zero Point in Gulistan, Dhaka, demanding the trial of the fallen 'autocratic' government led by Awami League. The program will be held tomorrow, starting at 12 PM. This has been confirmed by the coordinator of the movement, Umama Fatema. Umama's fellow coordinator Hasnat Abdullah shared on his Facebook page that similar programs are being organized in districts across the country under this theme. He emphasized that the protests should avoid any public inconvenience or violence. He warned that the Awami League's "terrorists" might engage in vandalism and arson in disguise, intending to blame students and the public. He urged that any Awami League members found should be handed over to the police. Hasnat also mentioned that the gathering will be a spontaneous participation of all political, cultural parties, and organizations that support the people's uprising. Earlier, Awami League announced a program on the same day at the same venue, just a few hours later at 3pm - ostensibly to mark Noor Hossain Day. The party stated on its verified Facebook page: "Join us in Dhaka in masses to protect independence, sovereignty, democracy, and establish justice." Read: 2 buses burnt in Dhaka’s Gulistan since this morning This was AL's first call for such a program since August 5. Interest around the proposed program peaked with the leak of a call record over the weekend, where former prime minister Sheikh Hasina is heard urging a junior activist to stage a showdown on occasion of Noor Hossain Day, taking advantage of what she perceives to be the interim government's weakness at the moment. She is also heard instructing the worker to adorn the usual posters for the meeting featuring images of Hasina herself, and her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, with that of US president-elect, as well as formerly, Donald Trump - in a naked attempt to stoke the Republican's ego and enlist his support for the return of AL and Hasina to power in Bangladesh. Shafiqul Alam, the press secretary of the Chief Advisor, wrote on his Facebook that Awami League, as a fascist party, will not be allowed to organise any protests in Bangladesh. Alam warned of a strong law enforcement response against anyone attempting to organize rallies, marches, or meetings under the instructions of the "mass murderer" and autocrat, Sheikh Hasina.

A total of nine arson attacks were reported across the country from 8 pm last night to 6 am today (November 12, 2023), according to the Fire Service and Civil Defence. Of these, 7 arson attacks were reported in Dhaka’s Jatrabari, Gulistan, Gabtoli, near Notre Dame College, Rupnagar, Sutrapur and Mirpur areas, said Talha Bin Zashim, station officer of Fire Service and Civil Defense Media Cell, this morning. All the arson attacks in Dhaka were on buses ahead of the countrywide 48-hour blockade of roads, rail lines and waterways. Read: Arsonists set fire to another bus in Dhaka's Mirpur Moreover, the miscreants also set a pickup van and a bus on fire in Gazipur and Barishal respectively in the same period. Supporters of BNP and its associate bodies brought out a procession in favour of the blockade this morning in Barishal city and they also burnt tyres on the streets. Read: Fire Service records 15 arson incidents across country in 37 hrs till Thursday evening At a virtual press briefing, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Saturday called upon the country’s people and BNP supporters to observe the blockade and make it successful. Read more: 13 arson incidents reported in 27 hours till this morning: Fire Service

A bus of ‘Bikalpa Auto Service’ was set on fire by miscreants in Dhaka’s Gulistan area today (November 06, 2023), during the second day of the ongoing 48-hour countrywide blockade called by the BNP, Jamaat and like-minded opposition parties. Fire Service sources said that miscreants set the bus on fire at 2:05 pm in front of Bangabandhu Square Hall Market, and immediately fled the scene. On information, two firefighting units rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze with the help of bystanders and locals. According to sources at Fire Service headquarters, a total of 18 arson incidents were reported across the country from 4 am on Sunday to 10 am today. 48-hour blockade: Two buses set ablaze in Gazipur Of these, 10 arson attacks were reported in Dhaka city, said Talha Bin Jasim, station officer of Fire Service and Civil Defense media cell. Bus torched in Khulna’s Rupsha

A dog of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has been awarded for its heroic role in rescue operation after a massive explosion in a 7-storey building in the capital’s Siddique Bazar area recently. For the first time in Bangladesh, ‘Cheetah’, a member of the Dog squad of the RAB,  received RAB Director General Award for its heroic role, said ASP Imran Khan of Media wing of RAB headquarters. Earlier on March 7, three teams of RAB dog squad along with other members of the elite force joined the rescue operation following the deadly blast. Also Read: Gulistan blast: One more victim succumbs to injuries, death toll now 24 The dog had important role in recovering three bodies from the damaged building, Imran Khan added. Earlier, on March 7, a massive explosion in the 7-storey building near a BRTC bus counter in the capital’s Gulistan area left at least 24 people dead and over 100 injured.    

The death toll from the massive explosion that ripped through a 5-storey building in Gulistan's Siddique Bazar area has risen to 23, with one more victim succumbing to his injuries today. The deceased was identified as Mirza Azam, 36, son of Shahjahan Mirza from Baufal upazila of Patuakhali district. Azam had been undergoing treatment at the ICU of Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery. Azam breathed his last at around 9:30 am today (March 11, 2023), said SM Ayub Hossain, resident surgeon of Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery. Read more: Gulistan blast: Death toll rises to 22 He was admitted to the hospital with 80% burn injuries. Azam worked at a sanitary shop in the five-storey building where the deadly blast occurred. On March 7, at least 17 people were killed and over 100 were injured in a massive explosion in the 5-storey building near a BRTC bus counter in the capital’s Gulistan area. A sanitary materials shop on the ground floor of the building, BRAC Bank office on one of the floors and an adjacent 7-storey building were damaged but no buildings collapsed. Read More: Cousins who went out for tea in Gulistan’s Siddique Bazar never returned Three people, including the owner of the building at Siddique Bazar, were shown arrested in a case over the blast on Thursday. A Dhaka court on Thursday put the three arrested people on a three-day remand.

Family members are mourning two cousins from the Chandpur district, who left their shop to have tea in Dhaka’s Gulistan area where a deadly blast killed several people on Tuesday (March 07, 2023). Death toll as of now is 20. Family members and relatives are still mourning the deaths of Al Amin, 23, son of Billal Hossain of Paschim Lalpur village, and Mansur Hossain, 24, son of Mosharraf Hossain of Chengarchar village in Matlab North upazila of Chandpur district. They demanded proper investigation into the explosion. Kawsar, younger brother of Mansur, said Al Amin, son of his maternal aunt, visited Mansur’s shop located in Gulistan’s Phulbaria Super Market on Tuesday. After having some conversation, Mansur and Al Amin went out of the shop around 4:15 pm, saying that they would return in 20 minutes after having tea in Siddique Bazar. Also read: Gulistan blast: Another injured dies at DMCH, death toll now 20 “Those 20 minutes didn’t end and they will not return,” cried Kawsar. Later, he heard about the explosion and went out looking for them. Failing to find them, he went to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital where he found the bodies of Mansur and Al Amin. Al Amin was a student of a private college in Dhaka. Md Mohiuddin, officer-in-charge of Matlab North Police Station, said the bodies of the two victims were handed over to their relatives on Wednesday night. Read More: Gulistan blast: Rescue operation goes into 3rd day When the mortal remains of the two young men arrived in their respective areas, a pall of gloom descended on the area. They were buried at their respective family graveyards around 11 pm. On Tuesday, at least 17 people were killed and over 100 were injured in a massive explosion in a 5-storey building near a BRTC bus counter in the capital’s Gulistan area. Meanwhile, two bodies were recovered from the debris yesterday. Read More: Siddique Bazar Blast: DSCC restricts heavy vehicles on Bangshal-Gulistan road Musa Haider, 45, a victim succumbed to his injuries at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital last night, raising the death toll to 20. The explosion occurred around 4:50 pm on Tuesday. A sanitary materials shop on the ground floor of the building, BRAC Bank office on one of the other floors and an adjacent 7-storey building were damaged but no building collapsed. END/UNB/Corr/MAS/KW

The Gulistan building has turned risky as its ground floor was badly damaged after the blast, said Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Wednesday. “The five-storey building has turned risky and the whole building may collapse if pressure is created on it. So rescue operation in the basement should be started after creating a stable situation,” he said while talking to reporters after visiting the spot. Damages in the building after the blast would not have been so much if it had been constructed following the building code, said Asaduzzaman. When asked about the reason behind the explosion, the minister said the actual reason behind the incident will be known after investigation. He also urged people to refrain from constructing buildings without taking proper approval from different agencies concerned. Also read: Gulistan blast: Rescue operation begins for the second day Earlier, on Tuesday, at least 17 people were killed and over 100 others injured in a massive explosion in a 5-storey building near a BRTC bus counter in the capital’s Gulistan area. Among the injured, 11 people have been undergoing treatment at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.  

Firefighting units have started their rescue operation for the second day this morning at the building in Siddique Bazar of Dhaka’s Gulistan, where 17 people lost their lives in a deadly explosion yesterday. Three firefighting units started the rescue operation around 9 am but no one has been rescued yet, said Khaleda Yeasmin, duty officer of the Fire Service Control Room, around 11 am. Meanwhile, a four-member probe body headed by Lt Col Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury, director of Fire Service and Civil Defense (Operation and maintenance), has been formed to look into the explosion that ripped through the 5-storey building in Gulistan. The committee has been asked to submit its report within five working days, said Shahjahan Sikder, Deputy Additional Director of Fire service and Civil Defense headquarters media cell. Yesterday, at least 17 people were dead and over 60 were injured in a massive explosion at a 5-storey building near a BRTC bus counter in the capital’s Gulistan area. The explosion occurred around 4:50 pm, said Shahjahan Sikder. The authorities handed over the bodies of the 17 in the morning, said Inspector Bachchu Mia, in-charge of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital police outpost. Also read: Gulistan blast: Death toll rises to 17 The 17 deceased were identified as Sumon, 21, son of Momin of Suritola; Munsur Hossain, 40, son of Mosharraf hossain of Jatrabari; Ishak Mridha, 35, son of Dulal Mridha of Barishal; Md Ismail, 42, son of Hossain Ali of Bongshal; Rahat, 18, son of Jahangir Alam of South Keraniganj; Alamin, 23, son of Billal Hossain of Chandpur; Hridoy Mia, 18, son of Hashem Mia of Kishoreganj; Idris Mir, 50, son of Kala Chan Mir of Jatrabari; Mominul Islam, 38, son of Abul Hashem of Chawkbazar; Nodi Begum, 34, wife of Mominul Islam; Moin Uddin, 50, son of Jamir Uddin of Munshiganj; Nazmul Hossain, 20, son of Yunus Hossain of Bongshal; Obaidul Hasan, 55, son of Shaheb Ali of Manikganj; Abu Zafar Siddique, 34, son of Mozammel Haque of Munshiganj; Akuti Begum, 70, wife of Anwarul Islam of Bongshal; Nurul Islam Bhuiya, 55, son of Mohammad Bhuiya of Jatrabari; and Abdul Hakim Siam, 18, son of Dulal of Keraniganj. Meanwhile, hospital sources said according to the relatives, 3-4 people remain missing since the explosion. Among the injured, 11 people have been undergoing treatment at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery. The cause of the Gulistan explosion could not be ascertained yet.      

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) authority today (September 11, 2022) conducted a drive to evict hawkers from the city’s important roads. On September 7, DSCC Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh said that no hawkers will be allowed on important roads – marked “red” – under DSCC from this week. Read No hawkers on important South Dhaka roads from next week: Taposh

At least five pedestrians were injured after a load of iron rods came crashing on them from a construction crane in Gulistan, slamming into the road and leaving the area strewn with twisted metal. Shahabuddin (40), Zakir Hossain (35), Sabuj (40), Jahangir (34), and Rezaul (33) were injured as iron rods fell on them. The crane was lifting the rods onto a multi-story shopping complex. Read: BRT kills again: 5 crushed inside car as girder falls off crane All of them were rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital after the accident occurred near under-construction Gulistan Hall Market Monday at 8pm, Bacchu Miah, in-charge of DMCH Police Outpost, said. "The injured are now undergoing treatment at the emergency department of the hospital," he added.