Bhola
JCD leader’s death: BNP calls hartal in Bhola for Thursday
Bhola unit BNP has called a dawn-to-dusk hartal in the district for Thursday protesting the death of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) district unit president Nure Alam in a clash between police and BNP men.
The strike will be observed from 6am to 6pm in the district on the day, BNP’s Bhola unit Joint General Secretary Humayun Kabir Sopan told UNB on Wednesday.
Nure Alam suffereded bullet wounds during a clash with police on Sunday.
Read: Bhola BNP-Cops clash: Injured JCD leader dies in Dhaka
Humayun Kabir said Nure Alam was taken to Comfort Diagnostic Centre in the capital on the same day where he succumbed to his injures around 3:15 pm Wednesday. He had been on life support at the hospital.
As part of BNP’s countrywide demonstration programme protesting the ongoing load shedding and mismanagement in the power sector, the leaders and activists of the party gathered in front of their district party office in Bhola on Sunday.
At one stage, police obstructed them when they tried to stage demonstrations at Kalinath Roy Bazar around 11:30 am, triggering a clash.
Later, police fired bullets and lobbed teargas shells that left local Swechchasebak Dal leader Abdur Rahim dead and some other leaders and activists of the party injured.
Bhola BNP-Cops clash: Injured JCD leader dies in Dhaka
A leader of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal(JCD), who sustained bullet wounds during a clash between police and BNP activists on Sunday, died at a hospital in the capital on Wednesday, raising the death toll from the incident to two.
The deceased was identified as Noor-e-Alam, the president of district unit JCD.
Humayun Kabir Sopan, a joint general secretary of Bhola district unit BNP, said Noor-e-Alam suffered bullet wounds during a clash with police on Sunday.
He was taken to Comfort Hospital the same day where he succumbed to his wounds around 3:15 pm.
Noor-e-Alam had been on life support at the hospital as he was hit in the head by a bullet during the police firing at BNP’s rally on Sunday.
Demonstration at Nayapaltan
Several hundred leaders and activists of BNP and JCD gathered in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office in the afternoon and staged a demonstration there, protesting the death of Noor-e-Alam.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir spoke at the programme and criticised the government for killing the two leaders of their party’s two associate bodies in a police firing in Bhola.
Read: JCD leader’s death: BNP calls hartal in Bhola for Thursday
The BNP leader said the blood of the slain leaders of the party will not go in vain.” “We’ll restore democracy, being imbued with the spirit of the sacrifices of Noor-e-Alam and Abdur Rahim.”
He said a namaz-e-janaza of the Chhatra Dal leader was scheduled to be held in front of the BNP office around 6 pm today (Wednesday), but his body was not discharged from the hospital for autopsy.
Fakhrul said Noor-e-Alam’s Janaza will be held in front of the BNP central office at 11am on Thursday.
Dawn-to-dusk hartal in Bhola
Meanwhile, BNP’s Bhola district unit on Wednesday called a dawn-to-dusk hartal in the district for Thursday protesting the death of Noor-e-Alam.
The strike will be observed from 6am to 6pm in the district, Humayun Kabir Sopan told UNB.
Fakhrul denounces the killing
Meanwhile, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir strongly denounced and protested the killing of the JCD leader in police firing.
In a statement, he said the current ‘usurper’ Awami government has established terrible 'misrule' in the country by snatching people’s freedom of speech and opinion.
“The government has introduced a culture of fear in the entire country by taking an imprudent decision like killing people, getting unnerved by people's protests and demonstrations. The government must take responsibility for it,” the BNP leader said.
Also read: BNP to probe Bhola police firing, console victims’ families
Fakhrul alleged that law enforcers are being ordered to indiscriminately attack BNP’s programmes and take the lives of the party leaders and activists. “The firing of law enforcers at the BNP's peaceful programme in Bhola is part of an evil plan by the government.”
He alleged that two leaders of BNP’s associate bodies—Abdur Rahim and Noor-e Alam--were killed in police firing in Bhola in a planned way to suppress BNP’s democratic movement and divert people’s attention to a different direction from power, energy and economic crisis.
“The incident of taking two fresh lives through such a barbaric attack on BNP's peaceful programme has shaken the conscience of the global community…Such killings by police will hasten the downfall of the government," the BNP leader observed.
Fakhrul expressed deep shock at the death of Noor-e Alam and prayed for the salvation of his departed soul.
He also conveyed his profound sympathy to the bereaved family members of the slain JCD leader.
As part of BNP’s countrywide demonstration programme protesting the ongoing load shedding and mismanagement in the power sector, the leaders and activists of the party gathered in front of their district party office in Bhola on July 31.
At one stage, police obstructed them when they tried to stage demonstrations at Kalinath Roy Bazar around 11:30 am, triggering a clash.
Later, police fired bullets and lobbed teargas shells that left local Swechchasebak Dal leader Abdur Rahim dead and some other leaders and activists of the party injured.
BNP on Tuesday formed a 12-member committee to probe the police firing during the party’s demonstrations.
Around 600 sued over BNP men-police clash in Bhola
Two cases have been filed in connection with the clash between activists of BNP and police in Bhola that left one person dead and 30 injured on Monday.
Sub-inspector of Bhola Sadar Police Station Md Jasim filed a case with the police station Sunday night, said Enayet Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of the police station.
Around 250-300 unnamed people were made accused in a murder case while 75 named and 300 unnamed people were sued in the other case filed on charge of assaulting police, the OC said.
On the other hand, the joint general secretary of Bhola District BNP Humayun Kabir Sopan said that they are preparing to file a complaint over the death.
Police have so far arrested ten people in this connection, the OC added.
Meanwhile, the party office of BNP in Bhola remained closed since Monday morning.
Read: 1 killed, 30 hurt as BNP, police clash in Bhola
On Monday, BNP leaders and activists gathered in front of their district party office at Kalinath Roy Bazar in Sadar upazila on Monday morning to hold a rally as part of BNP’s demonstration programme.
At one stage, police obstructed them when they tried to stage demonstrations at Kalinath Roy Bazar around 11:30am.
The leaders and activists pelted brickbats targeting police, prompting them to fire bullets and lobbed tear gas shells, triggering a clash that left one person dead and at least 30 people injured, said police.
1 killed, 30 hurt as BNP, police clash in Bhola
A man was killed and 30 people including seven policemen were injured in a clash between BNP activists and police during the party’s protest rally at Kalinath Roy Bazar in Sadar upazila of Bhola district on Sunday.
The deceased was identified as Abdur Rahim, an activist of BNP.
As part of BNP’s demonstration programme in districts, the leaders and activists of the party gathered in front of their district party office in the morning.
At one stage, police obstructed them when they tried to stage demonstrations at Kalinath Roy Bazar around 11:30 am, said Additional superintendent of Bhola Police Farhad Sardar.
The leaders and activists pelted brickbats targeting police, prompting them to fired bullets and lobbed teargas shells, triggering a clash that left one people dead, he said.
Read: Power Outages: BNP announces 3-day protest programme
Humayun Kabir Shopan, joint secretary of District unit BNP, said, “A BNP activist identified as Abdur Rahim was killed in police firing.”
Additional police have been deployed in the area to avert further trouble. A tense situation has been prevailing in the area following the clash.
BNP on July 26 announced three-day demonstrations across the country to protest against the ongoing load-shedding and mismanagement in the power and energy sector.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the programme at a press conference at BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office.
Four kids succumb to pneumonia in Bhola, over 400 hospitalised
Bhola is witnessing a rise in cases of pneumonia and other cold-related diseases, particularly among kids.
At least four children have died and more than 400 others hospitalised in the district in the past one month, health authorities said on Friday.
Three of the four children who succumbed to pneumonia belonged to Bhola sadar upazila, while the fourth one was a resident of Charfasson upazila, according to Bhola Civil Surgeon’s office.
Also read: Over 14,000 children die in Bangladesh due to drowning every year
Health authorities attributed the deaths and hospitalisations to excessive heat followed by copious showers.
On Friday, 10 more children were hospitalised with pneumonia in the 30-bed children ward of Bhola General Hospital. Besides, over 50 patients are being treated just for cold-related diseases in the 250-bed hospital.
Due to a shortage of beds, some patients have been shifted to different hospitals in the seven upazilas of the district.
Also read: Learning Disabilities in Children: Types, symptoms, ways to help
Dr Tamnnaye Habiba of Bhola General Hospital, said,” Children are more prone to pneumonia and the infection might be rising due to inclement weather. We also have a shortage of doctors and staff but are trying our best to treat patients efficiently.”
3 held for thrashing disabled man in Bhola
Three people caught on video thrashing a disabled man in Bhola have been arrested, police said on Friday.
The arrestees have been identified as Taposh Mridha, Promila and Rina, all residents of Nomo village in Lalmohan upazila, said Md Maksudur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Lalmohan police station.
Police swung into action after the video of the incident went viral on social media.
Also read: Caught on video for thrashing thief, grocer held in Chuadanga
In the video, the three people could be seen brutally beating up Joy Chandra Mistry with sticks after tying him to a pole inside a temple in Nomo village.
Joy had to endure the torture till his father rescued him and took him to upazila health complex. His only crime was that he had slapped one of Taposh’s relatives Thursday morning, following an argument, locals said.
A case has been filed in this regard after the victim's father lodged a complaint against five people, said OC Maksudur Rahman.
Also read: Man arrested for thrashing two girls in Savar
Joy’s father Shyamol Chandra Mistry said, “They have tortured my son many times in the past as he is disabled and we are poor. I demand justice for my son.”
SSC examinee’s throat-slit body found in Bhola
Police recovered the throat-slit body of a 17-year old SSC examinee from Ali Nagar union in Sadar upazila of Bhola on Wednesday.
The deceased was identified as Obaidur Rahman, of the upazila. He was an SSC examinee from Pashchim Ruhita Secondary School and used to work as an electrician.
Locals said Obaidur remained missing since Tuesday night.
Read: Bhola Clash: 20 including 7 cops injured
Locals spotted the throat-slit body of Obaidur from a betel nut garden near his house in Ruhita village this morning and informed police, said Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) (Sadar circle) Farhad Sarder.
The body was later sent to Bhola Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy, he added.
Besides, processes are underway to file a case in this regard, said Arman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Bhola Model police station.
Grandmother arrested for torturing 7-year-old after video goes viral
Police arrested a woman from Borhanuddin upazila in Bhola for torturing her seven-year-old granddaughter on allegation of stealing a mobile phone.
Police made the arrest conducting a drive on Sunday after a video of the brutal torture went viral on social media, said Shahin Fakir, Officer-in-Charge of Borhanuddin police station.
The arrestee was identified as Asma Begum from Barapata village of Deula union in the upazila.
Victim Tanisha’s mother Monwara Begum filed a case with police in this regard and the accused was sent to jail after being produced before the court on Monday, said OC Shahin Fakir.
According to police, Tanisha’s parents Md Harun Howladar and Monwara Begum were divorced six years ago and both of them got married to other people later.
Tanisha used to live with her maternal grandmother and just recently she came to visit her paternal grandmother’s house in Barapata village.
On Thursday, after a smartphone got stolen from the house, Tanisha’s grandmother Asma Begum accused her and brutally tortured her. But a local teen recorded the incident with his phone which later went viral on social media and caught attention of police.
In that video, Asma gripped Tanisha by hair and was pulling her toward inside the house as she kept crying for help. She later plucked Tanisha's nail using pliers and tied her with a tree.
Later locals rescued her and admitted her to upazila health complex, said OC Shahin Kabir.
The girl is currently under her mother’s custody, he said.
Also read: Overzealous woman in viral incident at Narsingdi station held for assault
Bailey bridge collapses with stone-laden truck in Bhola; 3 hurt
Three people were injured when a bailey bridge in Lalmohan upazila of Bhola collapsed with a stone-laden truck and other vehicles on Tuesday.
Locals said the Roads and Highways Department is constructing a new girder bridge over a canal in Daori Bazar area of the upazila and a temporary bailey bridge was built next to the under -construction bridge for traffic movement.
Also read:Worker killed, 20 others hurt as bridge collapses in Rangamati
The bailey bridge collapsed into the canal around 11am when a stone-laden truck and some other vehicles were crossing the bridge, leaving three people, including the truck driver, injured.
On information, police and fire fighters conducted a joint operation to salvage truck and other vehicles.
Meanwhile, traffic movement on Bhola-Char Fashion road has been suspended due to the collapse of the bridge, forcing people to cross the river by boat.
Also read: Barguna: Poorly planned bridges render re-excavated canal unnavigable
Md Nazmul Islam, executive engineer of Roads and Highways Department, said the bridge will be repaired by Wednesday.
The present width of the 94 km long regional highway from Bhola Sadar upazila to Baburhat of Char Fashion is about 18 feet. It is being widened to 30 feet. For the development of the road, four bridges and 43 culverts are being reconstructed.
25-yr-old fisherman dies in clash in Bhola
A 25-year-old fisherman was killed and five others were injured in a clash between two groups of fishermen over netting fish in the Meghna river in Lalmohan upazila of Bhola district on Tuesday night.
The deceased was identified as Asgar Ali, son of Khorshed of the upazila.
Read: 1 killed, 50 hurt in Sirajganj clash
Maksudur Rahman Murad, officer-in-charge of Lalmohan Police Station, said a group of fishermen, led by Matin Majhi, went to the eastern side of the Meghna river under Dhaligournagar union for netting fish.
Minutes later, the other group of fishermen, led by Nayan Majhi, appeared in the same area for catching fish, triggering an altercation in the afternoon.
Read: 12 injured in clash between two rival BCL factions at CU
Later, both the groups attacked each other, leaving at least six people injured.
The injured were taken to Lalmohan Upazila Health Complex, where Asgar died of his injuries. "Efforts are on to nab the attackers,” said the OC.