Two people were killed when a moving train dragged their motorbike while they were attempting to cross a level crossing in Puthia upazila of Rajshahi on Wednesday evening. The deceased were identified as Mizanur Rahman, 33, and Zahurul Islam, 35, both residents of Chandpur Bazar in Natore Sadar upazila. Faisal Bin Ahsan, officer-in-charge of Government Railway Police (GRP) in Rajshahi, said the accident occurred at Belpukur level crossing just before the arrival of the Panchagarh-bound Banglabandha Express from Rajshahi around 5:45 pm. Krishak Dal leader hacked to death in Sitakunda “An iron bar had been lowered at the crossing as the train approached, but the duo attempted to cross the tracks on their motorbike. The train hit the bike and dragged it away, killing both men on the spot," he said. The bodies were handed over to their families after the completion of legal procedures. An unnatural death case was filed in this connection, the OC added.

Two individuals were killed in separate clashes between rival factions of the BNP in Tanore upazila and Rajshahi city. In Tanore upazila, BNP activist Ganiul Islam (50) was killed after sustaining critical injuries during a clash over welcoming the chief guest at an iftar event on Wednesday. He passed away while undergoing treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) at around 3:30 pm. Tanore Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Afzal Hossain said, "There was a clash over the iftar programme. We have received news of Ganiul's death. The family has been advised to lodge a complaint, and legal action will follow upon receiving it." The clash took place on Tuesday evening in the Krishnapur area. Local sources said the iftar event was organised by the BNP union, with Maj Gen (retd) Sharif Uddin, an adviser to the BNP chairperson, attending as the chief guest. Supporters of the current union BNP president, Mujibur Rahman, gathered to welcome him but faced opposition from supporters of the Momin group. The confrontation escalated into a violent clash, resulting in serious injuries to Ganiul. RMCH spokesperson Dr Shankar K Biswas said that Ganiul was admitted with severe injuries to multiple parts of his body, and his condition was critical. Despite efforts to save him, he succumbed to his injuries in the ICU. In a separate incident, rickshaw-puller Golam Hossain Rocky (48) died after being stabbed during a clash between two BNP factions in Rajshahi city. He passed away while receiving treatment in the ICU of RMCH around 7:30 pm on Tuesday. Chhatra Dal activist stabbed to death in N’ganj Dr Shankar K Biswas said Golam was stabbed in the chest and also sustained a head injury. "He did not regain consciousness after the incident and later died in the evening," he said. According to witnesses, Golam was walking home on the night of March 7 in the Darikharbona area of the city, leaving his rickshaw behind, when he was mistakenly attacked by a BNP group who thought he belonged to a rival faction. Mostaq Hasan, officer-in-charge (OC) of Boalia Police Station in Rajshahi city, said, "I have heard that he (Golam) has died. Legal action will be taken if a complaint is received."

Two men were killed in a head-on collision between motorcycle and truck in Rajshahi. The accident occurred around 3:30 pm on Saturday on the Rajshahi-Chapainawabganj road in the Muraripur area under Damkura Police Station. Construction worker dies after falling from building in Dhaka’s Airport area The deceased were identified as Shamim Osman (28), son of Manik Ali, and Saddam Ali (30), son of Sentu Ali—both from Shibganj upazila in Chapainawabganj. According to police and eyewitnesses, the motorcycle collided with a Rajshahi-bound truck coming from the opposite direction, killing both riders on the spot. Upon receiving the news, police arrived at the scene, recovered the bodies, and seized the truck, which was carrying stones. Construction worker dies after falling from Kamalapur metro rail station Robiul Islam, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Damkura Police Station, said, “The bodies have been recovered. The truck driver fled the scene, but the truck has been seized. Legal proceedings are underway.

More than 50 students and guardians of Thanapara Swallowge Primary School in Rajshahi’s Charghat Upazila have fallen ill due to suspected food poisoning after consuming picnic food. A total of 52 individuals have been admitted to Charghat Upazila Health Complex since Monday afternoon and Tuesday afternoon, according to hospital sources. Charghat Upazila Health Officer Dr Toufiq Reza said that the patients suffered from food poisoning. "Doctors, including paediatricians, are closely monitoring their condition, and they are now recovering," he said. School principal Amitabh Newaz said that 180 students and guardians participated in a school picnic at Safina Park in Godagari Upazila on Sunday. The food for the event was cooked at the school, packed, and taken to the location. Students besiege Naogaon Sadar Hospital over irregularities "Lunch was served around 2pm, and after returning home in the evening, many began experiencing diarrhoea and vomiting. As their condition worsened from Monday afternoon, they were taken to the hospital," said the principal. He added that the food was prepared and served properly, and he was unsure how food poisoning occurred. His own daughter is among those hospitalised.

Train communication between Rajshahi and the rest of the country was restored on Monday morning, four and a half hours after a bogie of the Titumir Express derailed near Sardah Station, disrupting services. Moyen Uddin, the manager of Rajshahi Railway Station, confirmed that train operations resumed around 11 am after the derailed bogie was successfully removed. The derailed Titumir Express continued its journey to Chilahati in Nilphamari after the track was repaired, he said. Read: Derailment in Gazipur halts rail communication with northern Bangladesh The derailment occurred shortly after the Chilahati-bound train left Rajshahi Station at 6:20 am. Mamunul Islam, general manager of the Western Zone of Bangladesh Railway, said that the last of the train's 10 bogies went off the tracks near Sardah Station after crossing the Belpukur area. The disruption caused delays to three trains.

Three people were killed and another was injured in a road accident in Mohanpur upazila of Rajshahi on Wednesday evening. The deceased were identified as Kawsar, 19, son of Azim Uddin from Bankura village in Naogaon’s Manda upazila; Kawsar Rahman, 18, son of Sikender Ali from Chakbalu village; and Palash, son of Asab Ali, also from Chakbalu village. The accident occurred on the Rajshahi-Naogaon highway in the Kalitala area of Kesharhat municipality. Critically injured Santu, 30, is undergoing treatment at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. Nitai Chandra, Station Officer at Mohanpur Fire Service Office, said the four men on two motorcycles  were heading home around 6:15 pm when they were hit from behind by a car in the Kalitala area. SSC student dies in Pabna road crash The car fled the scene, leaving three of them dead on the spot and Santu injured. Mohanpur Police Station Sub-Inspector (SI) Hridoy Kumar Poddar said that the bodies had been recovered. The bodies will be handed over to their families after due procedures, he added.

Three members of a family were killed in a road accident in Rajshahi’s Puthia upazila on Saturday afternoon. The deceased were identified as Abu Hanif (25), his wife Fatema Khatun (22), and her younger sister Zuthi Khatun (14). Firoz Hossain, Sub-Inspector (SI) of Paba Highway Police, said the family members were returning home after shopping in Rajshahi city, riding on Hanif's motorcycle. The accident occurred in the Shibpur area when a bus collided head-on with the motorcycle, leaving all three seriously injured. Locals tried to rush them to Rajshahi Medical College (RMC) Hospital. Hanif and Zuthi succumbed to their injuries before reaching the hospital, and Fatema passed away later while undergoing treatment there. SI Firoz Hossain said they are currently reviewing CCTV footage from nearby areas to trace the bus involved in the accident. Legal action will be taken in this regard, he added.

A 45-year-old woman died after a bus hit a van in Puthia upazila of Rajshahi on Wednesday morning.  The accident happened around 8:30am in the Krishnapur Gopalhati area, said Poba Highway Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mozammel Haque Kazi. The deceased was identified as Majeda Begum, wife of Bachchu of Holidagachhi area of Charghat upazila. Majeda, a passenger of the van, died on the spot, he said. Trade with India through 3 land ports suspended, uninterrupted at Benapole “The bus bound for Jashore rammed into the van from behind while heading towards the Puthia Bazar. The bus then lost control and collided with a roadside mango tree, dragging the van along with it,” he said.  Police recovered the body and later handed it over to the deceased’s family, the OC added.   

Mango yield in Rajshahi district, known as the capital of mango, have been affected due to the prevailing severe heat wave condition and lack of rains, causing anxiety among farmers and traders. The district and many other regions of the country have been experiencing intense heat wave for about a month, which has caused the water bodies and ponds in the Barind region to dry up, resulting in the early drop of mangoes and litchi pods. Local mango growers and traders said the amount of buds in the mango trees of the district was much less than the previous year.Crop lands have been dried up due to absence of rains which is affecting mango and litchi production as well, they said. Already 30 percent mango pods have been dropped, said the mango growers. Gazipur train derailment: Salvage operation still on 24 hours post-collision According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), this year, a total of 19,602 hectares of land have been brought under mango cultivation, which is 24 hectares more than the previous year. The DAE authorities set a target to produce 2,60,164 tonnes of mangoes this year. But it is feared that even half of the target won’t be achieved due to the high rate of mango dropping. Bagha and Charghat upazilas of Rajshahi district are top in mango production but this year farmers are worried over possible losses.Abdul Mannan, a mango grower of Bagha upazila, said “Mangoes are produced in large quantities in Bagha upazila. But this year, most of the trees lack mangoes, making the farmers and traders disappointed. About 30 percent of the mango pods have dropped due to drought. Mango traders are worried about getting back the production cost.” Fear of fruit failure grips mango growers in Chapainawabganj as heatwave Intensifies Dr Shafiqul Islam, chief scientific officer of Rajshahi Fruit Research Centre, said, “The quantity of pods is good and if those sustain there is a possibility of good yield. But who can say about the heat wave? The current heat wave is causing problem not only for mangoes but also for litchi. To produce any crops, fruits and vegetables, water is needed. If there is a shortage of water, all of these will be affected.” Umme Salma, assistant director of Rajshahi DAE, said “Mangoes fall for different reasons, even rains cause fall of mango pods. This year small trees have enough mangoes while big ones have a little less. But dropping mango pods is normal. Farmers who failed to nurture the trees properly are witnessing more fall of mangoes.”

In a heart-wrenching incident in Rajshahi, two baby sisters passed away within four days of each other after contracting an unidentified virus, as reported by medical professionals. The almost two-year-old younger sister, Muntaha Marisha, tragically died en route to the hospital last Wednesday, while her elder sister, four years and nine months old Muftaul Mashiya, passed away on Saturday afternoon during treatment at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH). The girls were the daughters of Manjur Rahman, a mathematics teacher at Rajshahi Cadet College, residing with his family in the college's quarters in Sarda. Physicians at RMCH initially suspected a viral infection but awaited confirmation pending laboratory results from samples sent to Dhaka for analysis. The girls' parents, Manjur and Poly Khatun, have been placed in RMCH's isolation ward. Read: Nipah Virus: Don’t Consume This If You Want to Be Safe Dr. Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal, an ICU physician at RMCH, mentioned that there is a suspicion of the Nipah virus, although the girls' parents refuted this possibility.  He noted that the children had consumed unwashed plums, which could potentially be linked to the Nipah virus or another viral agent. The definitive cause of death awaits the results of the samples sent for testing. Poly Khatun recounted the events leading to their illness, stating that their domestic help had given the girls unwashed plums from a tree on campus on the morning of February 13. The following day, Marisha developed a fever, exhibited repeated vomiting, and showed signs of severe dehydration. Despite being rushed to the Rajshahi Combined Military Hospital (CMH), Marisha died en route. Mashiya exhibited similar symptoms the next morning and, after initial treatment at the Upazila Health Complex and CMH, was transferred to RMCH, where she was admitted to the ICU.  Read: Nipah virus: Two patients from Manikganj die in Dhaka Both sisters displayed black spots on their bodies before their deaths, a symptom noted by their mother. RMCH physician Mostafa Kamal clarified that there have been no reported deaths from the Nipah virus in Rajshahi this year. However, he confirmed that a viral infection caused the sisters' deaths, emphasizing the rapid progression of their illness and the limited opportunity for treatment. The parents remain in hospital isolation as precautions continue. Read more: Ancient viruses can help fight cancer, scientists say