United News of Bangladesh

As the country gears up for the national election, Narsingdi is witnessing a surge in the use of illegal firearms, raising serious concerns about public safety and the polls environment. In char areas of the district where fights once meant sticks and locally-made weapons, gunfights have now become common. Locals said criminal gangs armed with looted and smuggled weapons are locked in violent conflicts over political dominance, extortion, drugs and the illegal sand trade. A series of murders and clashes over the past year has deepened public fear and shaken confidence in law enforcement’s ability to keep the peace, police said. Read more: Police recover 9 locally made guns from Fatikchhari in Chattogram Of particular concern is the cache looted from Narsingdi District Jail during July 19, 2024 unrest when the prison was attacked, set ablaze and vandalised. All 826 inmates fled during the chaos and 85 firearms along with 8,015 rounds of ammunition were stolen. Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime) Sujan Chandra Sarker said over the past one and a half years, 58 of those weapons have been recovered but 27 firearms and 6,336 rounds of ammunition are still missing. The unrecovered cache includes China and BD rifles as well as bore shotguns now believed to be circulating in the district’s criminal underworld, he said. “These weapons are being used in political rivalries, extortion, drug trafficking and control over illegal sand business,” said another senior police officer requesting anonymity. “We have stepped up intelligence operations, but the network behind the arms trade is complex and well-organised,” he added. Police said in the last year alone, they recovered 42 firearms and 200 rounds of ammunition in different raids, filed 27 regular cases and arrested 56 people. Read more: 10 Indian air guns recovered from Sylhet’s Jaintapur The dangers rose further last December when Sharif Osman Hadi, an independent candidate for Dhaka-8 and spokesperson of Inqilab Moncho, was shot dead in the capital’s Paltan area. Police later said the weapon used in the killing was recovered from Narsingdi town. Over the past year, the district recorded 94 murders, 17 robberies, 184 thefts, 85 rape or gang rape cases and 43 incidents of mugging, according to police record. Although 94 murder cases were filed most of the accused remain at large. The residents of Banshgari and Saidabad villages in Raipura upazila said armed criminals move around openly, spreading fear. Two retired army sergeants are alleged to be training local gangs in firearms use. Both are named in multiple cases, including murder. “People here live in constant fear. We see men with guns walking in the open. No one dares to protest” said a shopkeeper in Banshgari. Following a recent visit by the Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam, special drives were ordered in the char areas. In two such drives, law enforcers recovered several illegal weapons and arrested a number of suspects, said Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime) Sujan Chandra. Many believe policing efforts have been hampered by instability in leadership. Three superintendents of police were transferred in the past five months, causing what locals describe as a temporary disruption in law enforcement activities. One killed, 10 injured in clash over supremacy in Narsingdi Since taking charge, new superintendent of police Md Abdullah Al-Faruk has launched special drives against illegal arms and drugs. “The election will only be credible if people feel safe to go to the polling centres,” said a local rights activist. “Recovering every single looted weapon must be the top priority. Otherwise, fear will rule the ballot,” he added.

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested the two main suspects in the stabbing murder of Chhatra Dal activist Zahidul Islam (25) in Narsingdi. Ariful Islam, Additional Superintendent of Police and Camp Commander of RAB-11 confirmed this at a press conference at the RAB-11 Narsingdi office. They were arrested on Thursday afternoon during a joint operation by RAB-11 Narsingdi and RAB-12 Kushtia in Bottoil, Bhadalia area of Kushtia district. The arrested couple, Rajon, 37, and his wife Zara, 30, are from Nawapara area under Madhabdi Police Station. During initial questioning, they admitted to being directly involved in the killing. They are handed over to Madhabdi Police Station for further legal proceedings. RAB said the operation to apprehend other suspects involved in the murder is ongoing. Grocery owner stabbed dead in Narsingdi Zahidul Islam, a union-level Chhatra Dal activist, was killed on December 29 after being lured from his home in Gayeshpur area of Zinaradi Union, Palash upazila. His father, Mosharaf Hossain Bhuiya, filed the murder case naming Rajon, Zara, and four to five unidentified individuals as accused.

A mild earthquake jolted Dhaka and nearby areas early Thursday (December 04), according to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD). BMD reported that the 4.1-magnitude quake struck at around 6:14am, with its epicentre in Shibpur upazila of Narsingdi, about 38 kilometres northeast of the BMD Seismic Observatory and Research Centre in Agargaon.  No casualties have been reported so far. Mild earthquake jolts Dhaka, adjacent areas again The Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Centre placed the epicentre 33 kilometres east-northeast of Tongi and three kilometres north of Narsingdi, at a depth of 30 kilometres. A stronger earthquake, measuring 5.7 in magnitude, had earlier shaken Dhaka and several regions on November 21, also originating from Narsingdi.  Since then, several minor tremors have been recorded across the country, most with epicentres in Narsingdi. Read more: Ceiling And Wall Cracks After An Earthquake: When To Worry

The third mild earthquake, considered an aftershock of Friday’s powerful tremor, was felt in parts of Narsingdi and nearby districts on Saturday evening, heightening concern among residents. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the latest quake, measuring 4.3 on the Richter scale, struck at 6:06 pm (local time). Its epicenter was located 11 kilometres west of Narsingdi at a depth of 10 kilometres. Earlier in the morning, another aftershock was felt in Narsingdi's Palash upazila. According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), the quake, measuring 3.3 on the Richter scale, was recorded at 10:36 am. Its epicentre was located about 29 km west of the BMD Seismic Centre in Agargaon. However, no damage or casualties were reported, officials said. Read more: Ceiling And Wall Cracks After An Earthquake: When To Worry Friday’s 5.7-magnitude earthquake, which hit several parts of Bangladesh, left at least 10 people dead and dozens injured. Of the casualties, four were reported in Dhaka, five in Narsingdi — the epicentre — and one in Narayanganj.

Two people who died during Friday's (November 21) earthquake in Narsingdi were laid to eternal rest at their village home in Kishoreganj district on Saturday. The deceased were identified as Delwar Hossain Ujjal, 37 and his son Omar Faruk, 12, residents of Gabtoli in Narsingdi district town. The first namaz-e-janaza of the duo was held at Jameya Kashemia Kamil Madrasah in Gabtoli area in Narsingdi on Friday midnight where additional deputy commissioner of Narsingdi Abu Taher Mohammad Samsuzzaman, BNP district unit BNP President Khairul Kabir Khokon and others were present there. Later, the bodies was taken to Hossainpur upazila of Kishoreganj district where the 2nd janaza was held and they were buried. Additional deputy commissioner of Narsingdi Abu Taher, said five people were killed in the earthquake and the local administration provided Tk 25,000 each to the family members of each deceased. Earlier on Friday, a six-storey building collapsed on the adjacent house of Delwar Hossain during an earthquake in Gabtoli area of Narsingdi district town, leaving Delwar, his son Omar and daughter Tasfia injured. Read more: Ceiling And Wall Cracks After An Earthquake: When To Worry Later, they were taken to Narsingdi Sadar Hospital from where Delwar and Omar were referred to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital. Delwar died on way to Dhaka while Omar died at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.

Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) has warned that the earthquake-damaged building at Kasaituli in capital’s Armanitola will be sealed if the owner fails to submit its design and approval papers within seven days. It will disconnect of gas, electricity and WASA lines on the eighth day, followed by evacuation of the residents, Rajuk officials said when a team led by its chairman Engineer Md Riazul Islam inspected the damaged ‘Rahmatulla building’ on 20 KP Ghosh Street around 10am on Saturday (November 22). The seven-member team visited the site after a section of the building’s railing collapsed during Friday’s earthquake, leaving four people dead. Read more: Bangladesh earthquake death toll rises to 10; scores injured Four others are still receiving treatment at Mitford Hospital. At least ten people were killed in the 5.7-magnitude quake that jolted Dhaka and several other districts on Friday. Of them, four died in Dhaka, five in Narsingdi—the epicentre of the quake—and one in Narayanganj. At least 5 injured after jumping from DU halls during earthquake

The government has appointed new deputy commissioners (DCs) for three districts, including Chattogram, ahead of the national election slated for February next. A notification, signed by deputy secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration Aminul Islam, was issued on Sunday morning. Mohammad Abdul Awal, Mohammad Anwar Hossain and Monira Hoque have been made DC for Chattogram, Narsingdi and Naogaon districts respectively. 6 districts get new DCs Of them, Abdul Awal was posted as DC in Naogaon, Anwar was assigned as deputy secretary at the Division of Health Education and Family Welfare under the Ministry of Health and Monira performed as deputy secretary at the Division of Secondary and Higher Secondary under the Ministry of Education.   The order will come into effect soon, the notification says.

A man was killed and five others sustained injuries in a clash between two factions of BNP in Narsingdi Sadar upazila early Thursday. The deceased was identified as Idan Mia, 55, of Muradnagar village. The identities of the injured could not be known immediately. Man killed by cousin over family feud in Sylhet; 5 others injured Additional Superintendent of Police Sujan Chandra Sarker said the clash broke out around 5 am between the supporters of Alokbali union BNP convener Shah Alam Chowdhury and expelled member secretary Abdul Kaiyum Mia over establishing dominance, leaving six people injured. One of them died on the way to a hospital, he said. Locals said tensions had been growing between the two groups since August 5, 2024 over establishing dominance.

A mobile court came under attack by sand lifters during a drive against illegal sand lifting in the Meghna River in Raipura upazila of Narsingdi on Monday. The sand lifters allegedly opened fire and hurled crude bombs at the team members in remote Char Madhua area of Char Aranjol union in the afternoon. Magistrates and law enforcement personnel narrowly escaped harm, said AC (Land) Masudur Rahman Rubel. Executive Magistrate Nepal Kanti Dev, Executive Magistrate Sarwar Alam, AC (Land) Masudur Rahman Rubel and members of police and Ansar were present during the drive. "We had information that several illegal dredgers were operating in the Meghna River in Char Madhua area.We launched a drive to stop illegal sand extraction," said Masudur Rahman Rubel.  Locals lay siege to police station protesting killing of madrasah teacher in Narsingdi "As soon as the sand lifters noticed us from a distance, they began fleeing with their dredgers. When we cahsed them miscreants aboard two dredgers opened fire and later exploded multiple cocktails (crude bombs). They then took positions along the riverbank, fields, and nearby bushes," he added. Rubel said that due to the escalating situation the team was forced to suspend the operation.  “These illegal sand lifters are armed and operate in groups. A large-scale operation will be conducted in the future to bring them to justice,” he said. Raipura Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Masud Rana said the sand lifters opened fire after being chased by the mobile court team. “Considering safety, we called off the operation. Those responsible for firing at the government officials and law enforcers will be identified and face legal action.”  2 killed in Narsingdi clash over establishing supremacy He further said that a joint force including  army, police, and Ansar will conduct extensive drives in the future.

Police recovered the body of a 20-year-old youth near Madanpur Bridge in Narsingdi on Wednesday night, reportedly after he was killed by kidnappers who failed to secure ransom. The victim was identified as Shuvo, son of Manik Molla of Phultala village under Shilmandi Union in Sadar upazila. Emdadul Haque, officer-in-charge of Narsingdi Model Police Station, said Shuvo had been missing since he left home two days earlier. “Around 11pm on Wednesday, we recovered the body and sent it to Narsingdi Sadar Hospital morgue for post-mortem,” he said. According to the victim’s family, Shuvo was kidnapped near his home on the morning of May 5. The kidnappers later demanded Tk 6 lakh in ransom. Despite frantic efforts, the family was unable to trace him. Man to die, 4 get life term for killing trader They alleged that the kidnappers tortured and killed Shuvo after failing to extort the money and later dumped his body beside the Narsingdi–Madanpur road. Locals discovered the body and informed police. “A case will be filed based on the family’s complaint. A manhunt is underway to arrest those responsible,” the OC added.