A police officer in Munshiganj was ‘closed’ and attached to the district police line for allegedly trying to extort money through threats of crossfire from a businessman. The accused is Mohammad Suman, assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of Gazaria police station. Mahfuzur Rahman Al Mamun, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Munshiganj, said the officer was closed and attached to the district police line today. The businessman, Shakil Farazi, said the police officer informed him on Sunday that a narcotic case was filed against him at Narayanganj port police station. The ASI picked him up on a white microbus on Monday morning, he said. The microbus went to a remote area of Char Baushia area. Shakil said there were three other persons in the microbus- constable Rafiqul, unidentified man who claimed to be an ASI, and the driver. “They held me at gunpoint and demanded TK 2 lakh,” he said. They snatched away his mobile phone, and money, beat him, and tried to handcuff him, he said. Meanwhile, some locals gathered on the spot and rescued him. The accused ASI, Suman, told UNB that one of his friends, a police officer at Narayanganj port police station, informed him about a case filed against the businessman. “My friend came to Gazaria, and we took Shakil there to talk in ‘private’.”  

The Syedabad railway level crossing will remain temporarily closed for traffic from Thursday midnight to Sunday (05 March) dawn to facilitate Padma Bridge rail link work. The Ministry of Railways issued a notice signed by its Deputy Chief Information Officer Md. Shariful Islam on Thursday regarding the closure. People have been urged to use alternative roads during this period.  Bangladesh Railway regretted for the temporary inconvenience caused to people. 

Chittagong Medical College (CMC) was shut down on Saturday for an indefinite period following a series of clashes between two factions of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) on its campus. The residential students of the institution were asked to vacate the dormitories by Saturday evening. Talking to UNB, CMC principal Dr Shahena Akter said that their academic council took the decision after the clashes between ‘two groups of students’. "The college will remain closed until further notice. We’ve asked all the students to leave their dormitories,” she said. READ: Sylhet student leader 'thrashed' by DU BCL members Besides, Shahena said, a five-member probe committee, led by Dr Motiur Rahman, has been formed to look into the incident. She said the probe body has been asked to submit a report within the next seven working days. Earlier, at least three CMC students were injured in clashes between two groups of BCL of the medical college unit over establishing their dominance on the campus. The three injured -- Mahfuzul Haque, 23, Naimul Islam, 20 and Md Akib Hossain, 20— were admitted to the CMCH. Campus sources said the two BCL groups-- one loyal to a former mayor and another loyal to a junior minister--locked in a clash on Friday night. In a sequel to it, they engaged in clashes in the morning and chased each other forcing the authorities to close the college for an indefinite period. Contacted, Panchlaish Police Station officer-in-charge (OC) Jahedul Kabir said the clash began on Friday night as the supporters of two groups locked into an altercation over their internal affairs. As a sequel to the internal feud, the OC said they again engaged in clashes in the morning, leaving a few students injured. READ: 3 BCL men hacked with knives during AL infighting over extortion proceeds Later, he said law enforcers brought the situation under control. “The situation is now normal. Additional police have been deployed on campus to fend off further trouble.”

Azimnagar railway station in Natore has been closed for passenger traffic due to shortage of manpower, officials have said. Ashok Chakraborty, station master of Natore railway station, said on Saturday that the station was closed on Thursday. READ: 13 rail stations lie dormant in Cumilla "The station did have a station master and pointsmen. The station lines have now been directly connected to Abdulpur and Ishwardi stations. Trains on this route will be delayed due to signal problems," he said. READ: ACC team visits Kamalapur rail station after complaint on app However, the scheduled trains will be able to pick up and drop off passengers at the station under the supervision of the officers in charge of the trains.

Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on Monday ordered the closure of all activities of Praava Health Care on allegations of various irregularities. DGHS Additional Director General (administration) Prof. Nasima Sultana, confirmed the development to UNB. She said that various allegations have been received against Praava Health Care. READ: Praava Health’s brick-and-click model: Bangladesh’s fastest-growing healthcare company raises $10.6 million “Later we investigated it and all their activities have been stopped,” she said. It was learned that DGHS also received several allegations of incorrect Covid-19 sample testing against Praava Health Care. Praava Health Care is a private organization. Along with telemedicine it provided medical services through a clinic in capital’s Banani. It shot to prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic by offering a service whereby they would pick up the sample for a Covid-19 from the subject's home.  READ: Banglalink Priyojon customers to get up to 15 PC discount on Praava Health services