At least three people were killed and 20 others injured in a gas cylinder blast in a bus in Sadar upazila of Lakshmipur district early Monday. The deceased were identified as Suman Hossain, son of Batu Mia; Md Yusuf Mia and his brother Hridoy Hossain, sons of Sujamia. They hailed from Sadar Upazila's  Charmonsha and Banchanagar areas respectively. Among the injured were Suman Hossain, Rocky Islam, Muhammad Fahad Hossain, Siraj Mia, Hriday Islam, Shah Khan, and Abdul Malek. Ten of the injured were shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for better treatment. Read: Gazipur cylinder blast: Death toll rises to 17 Witnesses said that the explosion occurred at around 2 am at Green Life Filling Station in Muktiganj area when a Ramgati-bound bus of Meghna Paribahan was refueling. The blast left three people dead on the spot and injured 20 others. Al Amin, the manager of the filling station, said the victims were mostly CNG-run autorickshaw drivers and the injured included both bus and CNG drivers. Ranajit Kumar, station officer of the Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) department in Sadar upazila, said two firefighting units were sent  to the scene after receiving information. They recovered three bodies and rescued the injured. The bodies were sent to Sadar Hospital. Read more: 3 suffer burn injuries as gas cylinder blasts in Malibagh According to Kumar, the accident occurred due to the use of a substandard gas cylinder. Dr Joynal Abedin, resident medical officer of Sadar Hospital, said that the bodies were sent to morgue for autopsy while 10 injured to Dhaka for better treatment.

At least 15 people, including five policemen, were injured in a clash between two factions  of Awami League at Chandraganj Bazar in Lakshmipur Sadar upazila on Wednesday.  The clash broke out between the followers of Kazi Solaiman and Upazila Parishad Chairman Nurul Amin over the newly formed convening committee of Chandraganj Union Awami League around 7:30 pm. Police detained 12 people from both sides. Among the injured are Sub-inspector Zakir Hossain of the Detective Branch of Police, SI Abdur Rahim of Chandraganj Police Station and Constable Mozammel Hossain and Chhatra League activist Akbar Hossain. Akbar is the brother of M Masudur Rahman, general secretary of Chandraganj Thana Chhatra League. According to locals, at the time of the incident, a joy procession was taken out congratulating the newly formed committee of Chandraganj Union Awami League. At that time, the attack was led by Masudur Rahman, general secretary of Chandraganj Thana Chhatra League. The two sides clashed. Police resorted to charging with batons to stop the clash. Masud is known to be a follower of Kazi Solaiman, a former secretary of the Chandraganj Union Awami League. A tense situation was prevailing in the area. M Mahfuzjan Ashraf, Superintendent of Police of Lakshmipur, said, there has been a clash between the two groups of Awami League. When they tried to stop them, brickbats were hurled at the police. “Five policemen were injured. Later, the situation was brought under control after charging with batons. A total of 12 people from both sides of the Awami League have been detained in connection with the incident,” he said.

Bodies of two siblings were recovered from a waterbody in Nabbar Char area under Lakshmipur’s Sadar upazila early Sunday. The deceased were identified as Samia, 10, and Tajmul, 7. They were the children of Sujan Dali, a farmer of the area. According to locals, Sujan and his neighbor Akkas Bepari had been at loggerhead for long over a piece of land. A case is also ongoing over this issue. Sujan was long receiving threats from Akkas and his people. Read: Woman’s throat-slit body found in Laxmipur; One held On Saturday afternoon, Sujan went to a nearby shop with his three children by a boat. He kept his elder son with him and sent his other two kids to home with the boat. The water of the river started to rise and the two kids went missing while returning home. After searching for some hours, their blood-strained bodies were found in a waterbody near Sujan’s house. Palash Kanti Nath, Additional Superintendent of Lakshmipur police, said that the bodies were sent to Lakshmipur Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy. “Necessary steps will be taken after investigating the incident,” said Palash. Blood on the deceased’s bodies has created suspicion among the locals. Sujan alleged that the kids didn’t drown, rather they were killed by his rival group.

Police have arrested a man for allegedly raping his 13-year-old stepdaughter in Kamalnagar upazila of Lakshmipur. Locals told UNB that the accused had been living at his parents-in-law's house since his marriage with the rape survivor’s mother three years ago. Also read: College student accuses former lover of rape with promise of marriage in Kurigram On Wednesday, when the girl’s mother went to her sister's house, the accused raped the girl after spiking her juice with sleeping pills. The girl narrated her ordeal to her aunt the next morning, following which the police were informed and a complaint was lodged. Also read: 3 arrested in Ctg over gang rape of girl who escaped from Cumilla "A case of rape has been filed and the accused has been arrested. The girl has been sent for a medical test," Mohammad Solaiman, officer-in-charge of Kamalnagar police station, said.

A leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) was killed allegedly by the supporters of the independent candidate during UP poll in Lakshmipur’s Ramganj upazila on Sunday. The deceased identified as Sazzadur Rahman Sajib was the president of Ichapur Union Chhatra League. Read: 2 hacked dead, 10 hurt in Meherpur pre-polls violence Police said a clash broke out between the supporters of Al-backed candidate and independent candidate at Nayanpur Primary School in Ichapur union around 5pm, leaving Sajib seriously injured after being hit on his head. Later, he was sent to Chandpur Sadar Hospital where the doctor declared him dead on arrival. Read: Jashore pre-polls violence: Injured man dies at DMCH Lakshmipur SP AH Kamruzzaman said they are investigating the matter. Meanwhile, the law forces detained 40 people with a number weapons from different places of the upazila.

A Lakshmipur court on Wednesday sentenced two people to life imprisonment in a case over killing an auto-rickshaw driver in 2013. The lifers are Mohan, son of Moin Uddin of Birahimpur village in Lakshmipur Sadar, and Tareq, son of Abdullah of Rashidpur village. Mohan was tried in absentia. Read:4 get life term for killing Ruet driver District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Rahibul Islam handed down the verdict. The court also fined them Tk 10,000 each, in default, to suffer one year more rigorous imprisonment, said Public Prosecutor (PP) of Lakshmipur Judge Court Jasim Uddin. According to the case, the convicts killed CNG-run auto-rickshaw driver Mohin at Bijoynagar village in Hamchhadi Union of Lakshmiipur Sadar on July 27 in 2013. Police recovered the body from roadside. Read: It’s settled: Life term means 30 yrs imprisonment On following day, a case was filed at Lakshmipur Sadar Police Station in this regard. Police investigated the case and submitted a chargesheet against Mohan and Tareq on January 13, 2014.

 

Balloting in the third phase elections to 62 municipalities began on early Saturday and ended amid reports of clashes, vote-rigging, polling centre domination, and boycotts.

A schoolgirl was killed after reportedly being raped in Gopinathpur area of Lakshmipur Sadar Upazila on Friday