Operation of another unit of 1,320 MW coal-fired Payra power plant is going to be suspended soon due to coal shortage, according to Bangladesh-China Power Company (Pvt.) Limited (BCPCL) officials. The plant has two units each having 660 MW and the first unit of the two has already been shut following the coal crisis. "Now the remaining unit may run until June 2", said Shah Abdul Moula, plant manager of the BCPCL. BCPCL, a joint venture of the Chinese firm China National Machinery Import & Export Corporation (CMC) and Bangladeshi state-owned North-West Power Generation Company Bangladesh Limited (NWPGCL), is the owner and operator of the Payra power plant. Read more: IPPs call for uniform import duty on primary fuels The plant manager said that the plant is currently operating one unit having 660 MW while another 660 MW unit was closed last week. Moula said that the overdue payment against the coal import actually created this critical situation. The overdue amount now stands at more than $400 million. "But recently we received a permission from Bangladesh Bank to pay $50 million to the coal supplier against the overdue", he said adding that this will help arrange to resume coal import. Read more: Separate entity needed to deal with matters relating to coal: Energy experts But still it will take about a month to receive the coal supply and we hope we may not get before June 28, said another official of the BCPCL.  According to official sources, the Payra power plant needs to import 3 lakh metric tonnes of coal every month to operate the plant in full swing. They said the BCPCL normally opens LC through state-owned Sonali Bank to import the coal. But recently Sonali Bank regretted opening the LC due to the dollar crisis. Admitting about the problems, the BCPCL officials said the authority has already communicated the issue to the Power Division to take necessary measures. Read more: Committee to review existing deals on coal purchase for power generation Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on March 21 last year inaugurated the 1320 MW ultra-supercritical coal-fired power plant at Patuakhali's Payra on a day when she also declared the country's 100 percent electricity coverage. This milestone achievement puts Bangladesh ahead of India and Pakistan among the South Asian nations to light up every house with electricity. BCPCL set up the plant using Ultra Supercritical Technology at over $2 billion as part of a development partnership on 982.77 acres of land. The Export-Import Bank of China lent $1.96 billion for the project. The company started operation in 2016. Read more: Bashundhara Group wins bid to supply 8 million MT of coal to Rampal power plant This kind of coal-fired power plant using Ultra Supercritical Technology is the thirteenth in the world and seventh in South Asia. The Ultra Supercritical Technology used for this plant aims at protecting the environment in line with the government's policy, officials said. After undergoing test runs for about five months, the first unit of the Payra power plant started commercial operation in May, 2020. In October, 2020, the second unit of the 660 MW plant, a joint venture of Bangladesh and China, started its commercial operation. The Payra and another 1320 MW Rampal power plants have been implemented targeting the power evacuation from both the two plants and transmit power to Dhaka city and adjoining areas to meet growing power demand. Read more: Illegal coal furnaces leave Khulna gasping for breath & answers The Payra power plant is burning some 13,000 tonnes of coal a day. It has a 76.30 acre dumping zone where 25 years’ worth of by-product can be kept. The plant is currently importing coal from Indonesia. It has its own jetty whose conveyor belts can unload 3,200 tonnes of coal every hour from four vessels at the same time. Bangladesh's power generation capacity reached 25,514 MW from just 3200MW in 2009, according to the data.

Two cases were filed against 450 leaders and activists of BNP, including the district presidents and general secretaries of Jubo Dal, Chhatra Dal, and Sramik Dal, in relation to a recent clash between Awami League and BNP in Patuakhali.  The clash occurred during a peace rally organized by the Awami League at the Muslimpara intersection in the municipality. Two Awami League leaders filed the two cases at the Sadar police station.  Also Read: AL-BNP clash leaves 30, inclucing policemen, injured in Patuakhali No arrests have been made thus far by the police. AL leader Raihan Hossain filed a written complaint on the night of May 20. According to the complaint, while the peace rally was underway, BNP supporters allegedly ambushed the participants, vandalizing houses and shops, resulting in several activists being injured and subsequently admitted to the hospital. The main defendant, in this case, is Monir Munshi, the General Secretary of the district Sramik Dal, along with 29 other leaders and workers. Additionally, 150-200 unidentified individuals have been named as defendants.  In another case filed at the same police station on May 21, District Jubo League Joint General Secretary Nasir Uddin, the plaintiff, stated that Jubo Dal members had launched an attack during their peace rally at the Muslimpara intersection, causing similar damages.  District Jubo Dal President Monirul Islam was made the main defendant in this case, listing 16 individuals by name and 200-250 others as unnamed defendants. Md. Moniruzzaman, the Officer-in-Charge of the Patuakhali Sadar Police Station, said that both plaintiffs had made identical complaints.  He said, "The accused are currently evading arrest. Our efforts to arrest them are ongoing."  District Juba Dal President Monirul Islam Liton expressed that the BNP would also file a case against the Awami League attackers at the police station. He further stated that if the police failed to take action, they would approach the court. A rally held in front of the Patuakhali district BNP office on Saturday morning, demanding the government's resignation, was disrupted by an attack from Jubo League and Chhatra League members.  The clash escalated into a violent confrontation, with both sides engaging in brick-throwing and vandalizing the BNP offices. Police resorted to firing tear gas to disperse the activists from both parties.  District Chhatra Dal president Ujjal Talukder and 30 leaders and activists from the BNP and Awami League reportedly sustained injuries during the clash.    

At least 30 people, including activists of Awami League (AL), Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and police personnel, were injured in clash between the two parties over holding rally in Sadar upazila of Patuakhali today. Police used teargas to disperse the fighting groups while an additional number of law enforcers have been deployed in the area to avert any untoward incident. Local BNP leaders said there was a scheduled rally to press home their 10-point demand, including resignation of the incumbent government and holding the next parliamentary election under a neutral government, in front of the party office in Patuakhali's town's Banani intersection area at 10 am. BNP activists and leaders from different parts of the district started gathering with processions since early morning, they said, adding that they were barred by the ruling party activists on their way to the rally venue. A clash broke out between the activists of the parties when an AL procession was passing by, witnesses said. Brickbats were thrown targeting each other, while BNP’s district office was also vandalised. The rival groups chased each other several times in the area, causing panic among the commuters and locals. BNP Central leader ABM Mosharraf Hossain said at least 25 BNP activists were injured in the attack by AL men. Md Saidul Islam, superintendent of police (SP), said, the situation is now under control and an additional number of policemen have been deployed in front of the BNP office in the town. The SP said they used teargas to bring the situation under control but instantly could not inform how many rounds were used.   Additional Superintendent of Police Mohammad Mainul Hassan said several policemen were injured in the clash.  Sadar Police Station’s Officer-in-Charge, Md Moniruzzaman, said a process was underway to file cases against those who attacked law enforcers and tried to deteriorate the law and order situation. The district unit of BNP held an emergency press conference in favour of their 10-point demand and protested the "attack" on their rally at a hotel this afternoon. At the press conference, BNP Vice Chairman Abdul Awal Mintoo said the next national polls won’t be free and fair without a caretaker government.  Meanwhile, local AL leaders and activists held a peace rally in the morning. AL's district unit President and freedom fighter Kazi Alamgir and Vice President Sultan Ahmad Mridha, among others, spoke at the rally. The district AL president said they will file a case against BNP men for "attacking" their rally.  

The search for four people including a groom, his mother and two others, who went missing after a trawler carrying a wedding party capsized in Tetulia River in Patuakhali’s Dashmina upazila on Friday, resumed on Saturday for the second day. Those who remain missing were identified as the groom Rabbi Hawladar, 20, son of Manir Hawladar of Guli Auliapur; his mother, Selina Akter, 40; Khadiza, 5, daughter of Dhalu Hawladar; and Mansura, 8, daughter of Belal Munshi. Local administration, three units of Fire Services and Navy jointly started conducted the rescue operation from Saturday morning, said Anwar Hossain, leader of Dashmina Fire Service Station. Also Read: Woman drowns, 4 others go missing as trawler capsizes in Patuakhali Nafisa Naz Nia, Dashmina Upazila Nirbahi Officer, said the local administration has taken the matter with utmost importance to rescue the missing persons. Earlier, on Friday, a woman was dead and four went missing when the trawler carrying a wedding party capsized in the river during a storm while returning with the bride. Bride Sumaiya and 14 others were on the trawler. The deceased was identified as Lipi Begum, 30, wife of Dhalu Hawladar of Uttar Ronogopaldi in the upazila.  

Two teenaged boys have been arrested in a case filed in connection with the murder of two students in Bauphal upazila of Patuakhali. The  arrestees are Sifat, 14 of Indrakul village of Suryamoni union of the upazila and Saikat, 14, from Kalaiya port, police said on Friday. Victim Nafees' mother Nargis Begum filed the case with Bauphal Police Station. A police operation is underway to arrest others involved in the murder, said Bauphal Officer-in-Charge Al Mamun. On March 20, students of class 9 and 10 of Indrakul Secondary School got involved in a dispute over a foot injury. On Wednesday afternoon, after the farewell ceremony of Class 10 students at the school, Nafees, Maruf and Siam, were returning home when several people, including Raihan, 2 Nayeem, Hasibul, who were already on the bridge, attacked and stabbed them. Locals rescued them and took them to Bauphal Hospital. After primary treatment, Nafees and Maruf were taken to Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital, where the on-duty doctors declared them dead. Siam is undergoing treatment at Bauphal Hospital. The deceased were buried at their village home on Thursday (March 23) afternoon after autopsy.      

At least 20 people of the ruling Awami League (AL) were injured in a clash between two groups of ruling Awami League during celebration of the 103rd birth anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and National Children’s Day here on Friday. The injured were admitted to local hospitals. But their identities could not be known immediately. Of them, Bauphal upazila unit AL General Secretary and Upazila Parishad Chairman Abdul Motaleb Hawlader was hospitalised at Sher-E-Bangla Medical College Hospital with serious injury, hospital doctors said. On the occasion of the Bangabandhu’s birthday, local,AL lawmaker ASM Feroz, Motaleb and district unit AL Joint General Secretary and Bauphal municipal Mayor Ziaul Hoque Jewel announced separate programmes.  Also Read: Bangladesh remembers Bangabandhu on his 103rd birth anniversary Of them, Feroz and Motaleb called the programme at the same place and time. A tense situation had been prevailing in the area over the matter for the last few days.   Auribindu, an upazila unit Juba League leader, told UNB that Motaleb and his followers brought out a celebratory procession around 11:00am. Police obstructed the procession in front of upazila parishad gate when it was marching towards the party office, he said. Also Read: AL destroys electoral system by “so-called” SCBA polls, says BNP demanding fresh vote Suddenly, several hundred supporters of Faisal Ahmed Monir, nephew of the lawmaker and upazila unit AL President Feroz, attacked Motaleb and his men with sharp weapons when an altercation broke out between police and him, Auribindu said. Law enforcers fired at least 7-8 rounds of rubber bullets to bring the situation under control, causing a panic among locals. As of filing this report around 3:00pm, a tense situation has been prevailing in the area. Al Mamun, officer-in-charge of Bauphal police station, said an additional number of police personnel have been deployed to ward off any unexpected incident further. He said they were forced to fire the rubber bullets to disperse the infighting groups. Md Al Amin, Bauphal upazila nirbahi officer, said both groups promised to hold their events in a peaceful manner but no one kept their words despite his request.      

A construction worker was electrocuted to death and four others suffered injuries at Patuakhali Science and Technology University on Saturday. The deceased was identified as Shafikur Rahman, 38. The incident occurred around 10 pm when they went to the rooftop of the Climate Smart Agriculture building of the university. Also Read: Lineman electrocuted as power turned on ahead of schedule Locals said the metal rods they were moving accidentally touched the main electric line. Shafikur died after being taken to the hospital; four other workers were transferred to the burn unit of Sher-e Bangla Medical College and Hospital.    

A man has been arrested over attempted rape of a 10-year-old in Patuakhali. The accused, Md. Delowar Talukdar, 55, is the ward member and organizing secretary of Awami League’s local unit of Ward 8 under Dabluganj union in Kalapara upazila. The mother of the child filed a case against the accused at Mohipur police station. According to police and the child’s family, Delowar, along with 10-15 people, went to Barkutia village on Saturday for Union Parishad election campaign. The child’s mother was working in a nearby field when the incident occurred. Also Read: Wife slaughtered by husband in Joypurhat “He came to our home and, upon realizing my child was alone, molested her,” said the mother. Abul Khair, officer-in-charge of Mohipur police station, said police arrested the accused and sent him to Kolagara court.  

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.

A 42-year-old man was beaten to death on “theft suspicion” by a mob at Panpotti, under Galachipa upazila of Patuakhali district on Tuesday. The deceased was identified as Liton Khandaker, son of Rafique Khandaker of Dularhat upazila of the district. Shonit Kumar Gayen, officer-in-charge of Galachipa Police Station, said Liton along with his associates broke into the house of one Nazrul Gazi around 1:30 am on Tuesday. Quoting the family whose house was broken into, the OC said that Yusuf, Nazrul’s son, saw the “thieves” and tried to resist them. Also read: Lalmonirhat lynching: 38 surrender, sent to judicial custody Being resisted, Liton stabbed Yusuf with a sharp weapon, the police official said. Hearing cries for help, neighbours rushed in and managed to catch Liton while his associates fled the scene. The mob beat up Liton, leaving him critically injured. On information, police rescued Liton and took him to Galachipa Upazila Health Complex where he succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday afternoon. Liton was an accused in several cases over theft, said OC.