Three more deaths were reported from dengue in 24 hours till Saturday morning, raising the number of fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease in Bangladesh to 548 this year. According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), recent fatalities have been reported in various divisions of the country. One death each occurred in the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), Barishal Division, and Khulna Division (outside the city corporations). During the same period, 316 additional patients were hospitalised with viral fever, the DGHS added. Two more die of dengue, 478 hospitalised in 24hrs Of them, 95 dengue patients were admitted in hospital under Dhaka North City Corporation while 63 were hospitalised in Dhaka South City Corporation. As of now, 1,777 patients are receiving treatment in hospitals across the country. Since January 1, 2024, a total of 98,504 dengue cases have been reported. Dengue: 5 more die, 629 hospitalised in 24hrs Last year, dengue claimed the lives of 1,705 people, making it the deadliest year on record. According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), there were 321,179 dengue cases and 318,749 recoveries in 2023. 

Police recovered the body of a man in the Shahbagh area of Dhaka on Saturday noon. The deceased was identified as  Md. Kalam Hossain, 55. According to Shahbagh police, the man was found unconscious near Gate 3 of Suhrawardy Udyan at around 1:30pm. Narsingdi clash leaves 2 UP members killed    Later, local residents informed the police and took him to the Emergency Department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital around 3:30 PM, where doctors declared him dead. The body has been sent to the hospital morgue for autopsy, said Sub-Inspector Asaduzzaman Jewel of Shahbagh Police Station.

A 40-year-old man was killed and eight others were injured in a clash between two groups of villagers over the ownership of a piece of land at Sonatiki village in Rajnagar upazila of Moulvibazar district on Friday. The deceased was identified as Misrab Khan, son of Rahmat Khan of the upazila. Quoting local people, officer-in-charge of Rajnagar Police Station, Shah Mohammad Mubasshir, said Abdul Hakim, son of Tajmul Mia of the village, had long been at loggerheads with Misrab over the ownership of a piece of land. An altercation was ensued between the two groups over the issue on Friday afternoon. At one stage, both groups equipped with locally made weapons attacked each other, leaving Misrab dead on the spot and eight others injured. Two college students die in Moulvibazar road accident The injured were taken to Rajnagar Upazila Health Complex. On information, police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.

At least four people, including two drivers, were killed and 20 others injured in a head-on collision between a bus and a truck in Dinajpur on Friday morning, said police. The accident occurred on Dinajpur-Panchagarh highway in Chakai intersection around 8:30am, said Birganj police station’s Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abdul Gafur. The deceased included bus and truck drivers and two bus passengers. Details about casualties couldn’t be known immediately, he said. All the injured were first sent to Birganj Upazila Health Complex, the OC said, adding that later six of them were shifted to Dinajpur Medical College Hospital for advance treatment as their condition was stated to be critical. Read: 4 killed in separate road accidents in Natore Quoting locals, OC Gafur said the paddy-laden truck collided with the Panchagarh-bound bus coming from Dhaka, leaving the four dead on the spot and some 20 others injured. On information, police and Fire Service personnel went to the spot and rescued the injured and sent them to the hospital, he said.

Three years ago, a man known only as ‘Mahmudur Rahman’ was quietly laid to rest in a madrasa graveyard in Savar, his identity shrouded in mystery. Today, DNA testing has brought this chapter of uncertainty to a close, unearthing a poignant tale of mistaken identity, unanswered questions, and a family's enduring quest for closure. The man has been conclusively identified as Harris Chowdhury, the former political secretary to ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and a prominent BNP leader. This revelation ends years of speculation about his fate and sheds light on a story that had remained buried—both figuratively and literally. DNA Confirmation and Exhumation Following a High Court order, Harris Chowdhury’s body was exhumed from the madrasa graveyard by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). DNA samples collected from the remains were matched with those of his daughter, Barrister Samira Tanzin Chowdhury, yielding a positive match. The High Court, led by Justice Fahmida Khatun and Justice Mubina Asaf, granted permission for Harris Chowdhury’s burial at a location chosen by his family. The court further instructed that he be accorded due honours as a freedom fighter. Barrister Mahdin Chowdhury, who represented the petitioner, said that the court's decision brought long-awaited justice for the family. Read: Body exhumed in Savar to verify Harris Chowdhury’s identity Barrister Samira expressed relief, saying, “The outgoing fascist regime scripted a drama to cast doubt on my father’s death, perpetuating confusion through media reports. This uncertainty was agonising for us as a family. We turned to the court for closure, and today, justice has been served.” A Life Shrouded in Mystery Harris Chowdhury disappeared in 2007 during the military-backed caretaker government’s anti-corruption drive. He reportedly went into hiding in Sylhet, later fleeing to India and eventually settling in the United Kingdom after stints in Pakistan and Iran. In 2015, rumours suggested he had returned to Bangladesh, but no concrete evidence emerged. Even his family and close political associates were unaware of his whereabouts. Living under the alias Mahmudur Rahman, Chowdhury resided in Dhaka until his death from Covid-19 on September 3, 2021, at Evercare Hospital. Under pressure from law enforcement agencies, his death was concealed, and he was buried in Savar without a death certificate under his real name. Barrister Samira said the government of the time denied her father the honours he deserved as a freedom fighter. Read more: HC orders to exhume body of Harris Chowdhury for DNA test “Today’s court order ends the harassment and confusion surrounding my father’s death. We are grateful to the court for allowing us to re-bury him with dignity,” she remarked. As his body is finally laid to rest, the veil over his life—and death—has been lifted, ending a tale of mystery, intrigue, and resilience.

Four more deaths were reported from dengue in 24 hours till Wednesday morning, raising the number of fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease in Bangladesh to 475 this year. In the recent fatalities, two occurred in Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and two in Barishal division (outside the city corporation). During the period, 888 more patients were hospitalised with viral fever, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Of them, 188 dengue patients were admitted in hospital under Dhaka North City Corporation while 105 were hospitalized in Dhaka South City Corporation. Some 3, 325 patients are receiving treatment in different hospitals across the country. A total of 89, 603 dengue cases have been reported since January 1, 2024. Last year, 1,705 people lost their lives due to dengue, making it the deadliest year on record. The DGHS recorded 321,179 dengue cases and 3, 18,749 recoveries last year.

Seven passengers of a battery-powered autorickshaw were killed as a train crashed into the vehicle on an unauthorised level crossing at Kalikapur in Burichang upazila of Cumilla on Tuesday. Six of the deceased were identified as Rafique Mia, Lutfa Begum, Sanu Mia, Safarjan Begum and Saju Mia, all residents of Bakshimool village in Burichang upazila and Al Amin. The identity of another victim could not known immediately. Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Burichang Police Station Azizul Haque said the accident occurred when Dhaka-bound Suborno Express train from Chattogram struck the autorickshaw as it attempted to cross the tracks around 10am. Bogie of freight train details at Dhaka’s AzampurFour passengers died on the spot, two succumbed to injuries en route to a hospital and another died while undergoing treatment there. The autorickshaw got twisted and the train dragged it several hundred yards along the rail tracks, said witnesses. The railway police have been informed and are overseeing the legal procedures regarding the accident, said OC Haque. The accident once again shed a light on the danger posed by unmanned and unattended level crossings across Bangladesh. Trial train on Dhaka-Khulna route reaches Khulna via Padma Bridge Although accidents at unprotected level crossings are claiming lives frequently, no measure has yet been taken to make those safe. According to data from of the Railways Ministry in 2022, among the 2,822 rail crossings of Bangladesh Railway (BR), 1,354 are illegal and 2,258 are without gatemen. Among the legal rail crossings, 904 are unmanned. BR data shows that almost 90 per cent of rail accidents happen at rail crossings. In the last one decade, a total of 936 accidents happened at the country’s rail crossings, which took away a staggering 516 lives. Two die in rickshaw van-truck collision in Natore  

A 60-year-old man was hacked to death allegedly by his rival over a disputed land in Baraigram upazila of Natore district on Sunday. The deceased was Torab Ali. His rival Md Rana was seriously injured. According to locals, there was a dispute between Torab Ali and  Rana over the boundary of the land. In the morning, when Torab Ali attempted to drain out stagnant water from his banana orchard into Rana’s nearby pond Rana obstructed him. Brother ‘kills’ sister, sister-in-law over land dispute in Meherpur At one stage, they attacked each other with sharp weapons that left Torab and Rana  injured. Later, family members rushed to the scene and took both Torab and Rana to a local clinic, where doctors declared Torab dead and Rana was transferred to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital for further treatment. Officer-in-Charge of Baraigram Police Station Sirajul Islam said police visited the scene and necessary legal steps will be taken.

Two college students died apparently after drinking toxic alcohol in Faridpur town on Saturday. The deceased were Puja Biswas,20, daughter of Sadhan Biswas from Debila village in Shalikha upazila of Magura and first year student of a college and Ratna Saha,26, daughter of Ratan Kumar Saha from Amgram in Boalmari upazila of Faridpur  and a  student at Government Rajendra College. According to the victims' families and hospital sources, the two students used to live in a rented house in Kanai Matbar Mor area at Alipur in Faridpur town. Brother ‘kills’ sister, sister-in-law over land dispute in Meherpur After returning from a Durga Puja festival on Friday evening, they fell sick. Bithi Saha, another tenant of the house, said that as their condition worsened, they were rushed to Faridpur Medical College Hospital around midnight. Hospital sources one of them was brought dead to the hospital while the other passed away around 4 am while undergoing treatment. Kotwali police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Asaduzzaman said the bodies was sent to Faridpur Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy. The exact cause of their death will be revealed after the autopsy, he added.

Ekushey Padak-winning television and theater actor Jamal Uddin Hossain has passed away. He was 81. The veteran actor breathed his last at a hospital in Calgary, Canada on Friday, according to family sources. He will be buried there on Saturday after Zuhr prayers. Jamal Uddin, a member of the Nagorik Natya Sampradaya, started acting in theater in the mid-1970s. He later worked in television dramas and films. For the past 15 years, he had been irregular in acting and had been living in the United States for the past 7 years.