In a somber announcement on Tuesday (February 20, 2024), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) revealed the identities of eight Bangladeshis who met a tragic fate while attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea. The individuals, embarking on an unauthorized voyage from Libya to Europe, drowned in a devastating incident that underscores the perilous journey faced by many seeking a better life abroad. The victims, identified as Sajal, Nayan Biswas, Mamun Seikh, Kazi Sajeeb, Kaisar, Rifat, Russell, and Imrul Kayes Apon, hailed from the Madaripur and Gopalganj districts of Bangladesh. Specifically, the first five victims originated from various villages within the Rajoir upazila of Madaripur, while the remaining were from Muksudpur upazila in Gopalganj. Read more: Out of options, Rohingya fleeing Myanmar and Bangladesh by boat despite soaring death toll The details were shared in a press release distributed by MoFA, which aimed to shed light on the tragic event and its impact on the victims’ communities. The ill-fated journey began on February 13, when a boat carrying individuals from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Egypt, and Syria set sail from a Libyan coastal area with hopes of reaching Europe. The group comprised 27 Bangladeshis, 8 Pakistanis, 3 Egyptians, 5 Syrians, and an Egyptian individual who navigated the boat. However, their aspirations were cut short when the vessel capsized off the Tunisian coast in the early hours of February 14. Rescue operations later recovered the bodies of the eight Bangladeshis and one Pakistani, which were subsequently transferred to local hospitals. The foreign ministry's report further highlighted that among the Bangladeshi victims, seven were traveling without passports, indicating the desperate measures taken by individuals in pursuit of better opportunities. Read more: Bangladesh wants to boost cooperation with Libya to curb illegal migration

A woman and her SSC examinee daughter were hacked to death over land dispute in Durgapur village under Gopalganj sadar upazila on Sunday (February 18, 2024) night. The deceased were identified as Beauty Begum, 40, and her daughter Lamia, 16, of Durgapur village under Jalalabad union of the upazila. The daughter was an SSC examinee from Khalia United Academy. Police and locals there had been a long dispute between Lamia’s father Tuku and her uncle Harun over ancestral land in the village. Around 7:30 am on Sunday, as Lamia entered uncle Harun’s yard while talking on her mobile phone he asked her to leave the yard and hurled abusive words, leading to an altercation between Lamia’s mother Beauty and her uncle. Read more: Man killed ‘by daughter’ in Chuadanga, wife, daughter held At one stage of the altercation over the matter, Harun, equipped with sharp weapons, hacked Beauty and Lamia, leaving them critically injured. Hearing their screams, locals rushed in and took them to 250-bed Adhunik Hospital in Sadar upazila where physicians declared them dead upon arrival. Sadar police station Officer-in-Charge (investigation) Harun-Or-Rashid though the accused and his family went into hiding shortly after the murders police managed to arrest Harun. The bodies were sent to the Sadar hospital morgue for autopsy, the police officer added. Read more: Man hacked to death over extramarital affair in Rangpur

Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday (August 17, 2023) urged the people to keep their trust and confidence in her government as she wants to make the life of the country’s every citizen meaningful. “I want to make the life of everyone meaningful and thus improve their living standard by completing the unfinished tasks of my father,” she said while rolling out the much-anticipated Universal Pension Scheme. The premier opened the pension scheme, joining a virtual function from her official residence Ganabhaban. The participants and beneficiaries were connected from three districts –Gopalganj, Bagerhat and Rangpur-- and the Bangladesh Consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.  The universal pension scheme was introduced aiming to bring the country's all citizens aged above 18 under the pension coverage. Also read: PM Hasina rolls out long-awaited Universal Pension Scheme  Hasina said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman made Bangladesh as a least developed country by building a war-ravaged country and now Bangladesh gained the status of a developing country following the footsteps of Bangabandhu. “Inshallah, Bangladesh will be transformed from a developing to a developed country,” she said. The PM said the people’s trust, confidence and affection are the sources of her strength. “So, keep this trust and confidence. I want it from you,” she said. She said Bangladesh had to face many blows --Covid-19 pandemic, the brunt of Ukraine war, economic sanctions and counter-sanctions and worldwide high inflation, as well as arson violence. “Since the people are with us, Bangladesh is moving forward facing everything –natural calamities, pandemic and manmade disasters,” she said. Also read: Universal Pension Scheme: How will it work? What's in it? Describing the universal pension scheme as an inclusive programme, she said her government has been able to bring even the grassroots and disadvantaged people under their development plans. The PM said the inaugural day of universal day is really a very significant day for Bangladesh. “The day will remain written in the golden letters in the history of Bangladesh,” she said. Under the universal pension scheme, four different packages– Pragati, Surokkha, Samata and Prabashi– out of a total of six planned ones were initially introduced under the universal pension scheme to ensure the lifetime pension facility for the participant citizens. The Pragati package will cover private job holders, while the Surokkha is designed for self-employed persons, the Samata for the low-income people and the Prabashi package for the expatriate Bangladeshis. The two remaining packages will be launched later. Also read: All citizens aged 18-50 can join universal pension scheme: Cabinet clears a draft law Any citizen aged above 18 can participate in the universal pension scheme to get the pension facility during the retirement life, by paying installments till the person reaches the age of 60. An individual aged even above 50 can join the scheme but the person will need to pay installments for 10 consecutive years. Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal and Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder, also spoke on the occasion. PM’s Principal Secretary M Tofazzel Hossain Miah moderated the function, while Senior Secretary of the Finance Division Fatima Yasmin delivered the welcome speech. In the event, a video documentary on the Universal Pension Scheme was screened. Read more: Some foreign powers are taking interest in Bangladesh's election to hinder progress: PM Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday ( August 17, 2023) rolled out the much anticipated Universal Pension Scheme aiming to bring Bangladesh's all citizens aged above 18 under the pension coverage. She opened the pension scheme joining a virtual function from her official residence Ganabhaban. The participants and beneficiaries were connected from three districts –Gopalganj, Bagerhat and Rangpur-- and the Bangladesh Consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Four different packages– Pragati, Surokkha, Samata and Prabashi– out of a total of six planned ones were initially introduced under the universal pension scheme to ensure the lifetime pension facility for the participant citizens. Universal pension system to be rolled out from FY 2023-24 The Pragati package will cover private job holders, while the Surokkha is designed for self-employed persons, the Samata for the low-income people and the Prabashi package for the expatriate Bangladeshis. The two remaining packages will be launched later. Any citizen aged above 18 can participate in the universal pension scheme to get the pension facility during the retirement life, by paying installments till the person reaches the age of 60. An individual aged even above 50 can join the scheme but the person will need to pay installments for 10 consecutive years. Bill on the universal pension returns to the House after scrutiny Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal and Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder, also spoke on the occasion. PM’s Principal Secretary M Tofazzel Hossain Miah moderated the function, while Senior Secretary of the Finance Division Fatima Yasmin delivered the welcome speech. In the event, a video documentary on the Universal Pension Scheme was screened. JS passes bill to introduce Universal Pension Scheme

A bus rammed into a motorcycle and a bicycle, killing three people on the Dhaka-Khulna highway, in Kashiani upazila of Gopalganj on Tuesday. Motorcyclist MA Hasib, son of Samsul Haque of Hellencha village in Alfadanga upazila of Faridpur district, was killed in the crash, as were bicyclists Nabir Sheikh, 22, son of Lokman Sheikh, and Abdur Rahimm, 20, son of Raza Miah, both from the same village of Pona in Kashiani. Manobindra Biswas, sub-inspector (SI) of Bhatiapara Highway Police, said the accident occurred this noon when the bus of Dola Paribahan coming from Dhaka hit the vehicles, leaving motorcyclist Hasib dead on the spot and two cyclists critically injured. The injured were rushed to Kashiani Health Complex where Nabir Sheikh and Abdur Rahim were declared dead, SI Manobindra added.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (February 15, 2023) handed over the keys of ‘Bir Nibash’ to valiant freedom fighters, who are financially marginalized. The Prime Minister handed over keys to 5000 houses at a programme – held in Dhaka’s Osmani Memorial Auditorium – organized by the Liberation War Affairs Ministry with the Minister AKM Mozammel Huq in the chair. The PM joined the programme virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban. The houses are being given away to freedom fighters as gifts from the Prime Minister, on the occasion of Mujib Borsho and 50 years of Bangladesh’s independence. Read more: President-elect, PM call on incumbent at Bangabhaban The project, ‘House construction for insolvent freedom fighters’ – approved by the ECNEC on March 21 last year – is being implemented at the cost of Tk 4,122 crore which will come from government funds. The main objective of the project is to construct 30,000 ‘Bir Nibash’ (houses) for insolvent freedom fighters, Birangana (women freedom fighters), widows and children of martyred and late freedom fighters. Named ‘Bir Nibash’ (Home for Heroes), each 635sqft house has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a dining room, and a kitchen. This project is an initiative of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to uplift the socio-economic status of financially marginalized freedom fighters, as well as widows and children of late freedom fighters. Read More: BALID honours six freedom fighters in the month of victory The cost of building each house is Tk 14,10,382, as per the official source. Deputy Commissioners of Narail, Madaripur, Gopalganj, Gazipur and Kishoreganj, on behalf of the Prime Minister handed over the keys in their respective areas.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday offered prayers at the mausoleum of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Tungipara in Gopalganj. The prime minister, accompanied by her younger sister Sheikh Rehana and family members, offered fateha and joined a munajat seeking eternal peace of departed souls of Father of the Nation and other martyrs of August 15, 1975 carnage. Read more: PM asks expats to shun hundi in sending remittance home  Hasina, the eldest daughter of Bangabandhu, paid tributes to the Father of the Nation by placing a wreath at his mausoleum. After laying the wreath, she stood in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memory of Bangabandhu. The Father of Nation alongwith most of his family members was assassinated by some disgruntled army men on the dreadful night of 15 August, 1975. Read more: PM Hasina asks police to firmly deal with destructive acts Sheikh Hasina reached Tungipara in Gopalganj in the morning by road after crossing the Padma Bridge. The premier is scheduled to spend the night at Tungipara.

Mymensingh, Panchagarh, Gopalganj and Jashore DSAs topped their groups to reach the knockout stage of the Exim Bank 33rd National Men's Handball Championship after their wins at the Shaheed Captain M Mansur Ali National Handball Stadium Wednesday. Mymensingh topped their group, defeating Chuadanga 26-22 after leading the first half 12-11. Read more: National Handball: Eight 2nd round matches held on Tuesday Panchagarh won their group after beating Sunamganj 29-18 after dominating the first half 18-12. Gopalganj won their group, outplaying Rajshahi 30-17 after leading the first half 19-11. Earlier, they defeated Bogura 26-5 in their day's first match after dominating the first half 13-3. Jashore topped their group, beating Faridpur 27-25 after crushing Sherpur 36-6 in their day's first match after leading the first half 20-5. In the day's other matches, Rajshahi beat Bagerhat 25-12, Faridpur outplayed Madaripur 32-7, and Barguna defeated Feni 21-17; Bagerhat overpowered Bogura 21-20. Read more: National Handball: Dhaka, Chattogram, Bandarban, Kushtia top groups  

Four people, including a policeman, were killed and 15 others injured when a speeding passenger bus crashed into a tree on the Dhaka-Khulna highway in Chandra Dighalia upazila of Gopalganj early on Friday morning. The deceased cop was identified as Barishal Metropolitan Police member Abdul Alim, while the identities of the other victims are yet be ascertained, said Nasir Uddin, officer-in-charge of Gopalganj Sadar police station. Read: Tangail road crash leaves six dead Alim was deployed to ensure security during the visit of the President and the Prime Minister to Gopalganj on Friday, he said. The accident occurred around 6am when the driver of the Mongla-bound bus of Didar Paribahan lost control of the vehicle and crashed into the roadside tree, leaving four people dead on the spot, said the OC. Monirul Islam, one of the passengers hailing from Khulna, claimed that the accident occurred due to reckless driving. Read: Sajek landslide: Road communication restored after 6.5 hours OC Nasir said that of the injured passengers, 10 were admitted to Gopalganj General Hospital while others received primary aid. Of the injured, two people were transferred to Khulna General Hospital as their condition was serious, said Md Faruq Ahmed, resident medical officer of the hospital.

A Gopalganj court on Sunday sentenced two people to death for killing a man in 2008. The condemned convicts are—Sumon Molla, 36, son of Jalal Molla and Nuru Farazi, 38, son of Mannan Faraji of Madaripur district. Gopalganj Additional District and Session Judge Abbas Uddin handed down the punishment and fined them Tk one lakh each. Both of them were tried in absentia. Also read: Man sentenced to life in prison without parole for killing 16-month-old sister According to the prosecution, Ali Akbar, son of Quader Sheikh of Bagan Uttarpar in Kotalipara upazila was killed by the convicts on April 13, 2008. A complaint was lodged in this connection. Police registered a case. Also read: Husband who killed wife for dowry in Pabna sentenced to death On January 14, 2009, police submitted chargesheet against the duo.