The recent floods in Sherpur, a northern district of Bangladesh, have caused extensive losses amounting to about Tk 600 crore in the agriculture and fisheries sectors, according to official sources. They said roads and other infrastructures under the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) have suffered a loss of nearly Tk 113 crore in damages. The district office of Water Development Board has also incurred substantial losses, though an exact figure is yet to be reported, according to the officials. While the floodwaters began receding from Wednesday, the struggles of the flood-hit communities continue, as the full extent of the devastation becomes apparent. Waterborne diseases, such as diarrhoea, dysentery and skin infections, have been reported as the affected areas experience an acute shortage of clean drinking water. Read more: 3 die as flood situation deteriorates in Sherpur; army joins rescue operation However, district Civil Surgeon Dr Jasim Uddin refuted claims of a health crisis, saying that the diarrhoeal situation is under control. He mentioned that four medical teams, consisting of Army personnel, physicians, and medical students, are currently providing healthcare support to the affected population. On Saturday, a visit to Pichhlakuri village in Nakla upazila revealed the heartbreaking aftermath of the disaster. The village, home to around 100 families, including 40 from the Hindu community, suffered widespread destruction of homesteads, possessions and croplands along the Bhogai River. Members of the Hindu community expressed their grief over the fact that they were unable to celebrate Durga Puja, the largest festival in their religious calendar, as their temples were submerged when an embankment of the Bhogai River collapsed. Read:Death toll from Sherpur floods rises to 9 as one more dies Floodwaters still linger in several croplands, hampering recovery efforts. A one-and-a-half-kilometre road, extending from Pichhlakuri Government Primary School to Tarakanda, was heavily damaged, with over 50 cracks making it nearly impassable. The deteriorating road conditions have compounded the difficulties in delivering much-needed relief supplies to the flood-affected families. Ahalla Rani Borman, a 50-year-old resident, described the desperate conditions her community is facing. "We have no food, drinking water, or other essential supplies," she lamented. Borman claimed that they have only received a small amount of aid in the form of a single packet of hotchpotch and half a kilogram of puffed rice since the floods struck, and many families are enduring days of hunger. Borman further alleged that no government representatives, including members of the local union parishad, have visited the area to assess their situation or provide support. Read more: Flood Control and How to Minimise Losses

Passenger bus services on the Sherpur-Dhaka route were abruptly halted on Friday night, ahead of the scheduled rallies of Awami League and BNP in the capital today. All overnight bus services to Dhaka were abruptly canceled, and all Dhaka-bound buses stopped operation early today. Police, BNP men clash in Dhaka’s Kakrail area, police box set on fire Bus owners and drivers stopped bus movement, mentioning concerns about potential vandalism and security issues, said concerned individuals. Sajib Ghosh, general secretary of the Sherpur District Transport Owners’ Association, said that no official orders were given to halt bus and coach services.  “However, bus owners and workers were afraid due to potential violence during the political rallies in the capital and decided not to operate their vehicles,” he said. More than 50 detained in extensive search operations at Dhaka’s entry points Buses traveling from Sherpur to Dhaka dropped off passengers at the Shambhuganj junction in Mymensingh on Friday afternoon. Approximately 200 public transport vehicles typically ply the Sherpur-Dhaka route daily. In addition to the bus service suspension, CNG-run auto rickshaws that usually operate on inter-district routes have also been halted since Saturday morning. Some commuters have resorted to using easy bikes and private vehicles to travel on the highway. AL, BNP rallies: 3 vehicles vandalised in Dhaka Meanwhile, local BNP sources reported that despite the bus service suspension, at least 4,000 party leaders and activists from Sherpur had left for Dhaka several days before participating in the Nayapaltan rally in the capital. They had anticipated the bus service interruption on Friday and Saturday and had already set out for Dhaka in advance, they said.

General secretary of Jhenaigati upazila unit Bangladesh Chhatra League Shahriar Khan Shaon was expelled over rape attempt. Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) Central Executive Committee expelled Shaon for attempting to rape an indigenous college student, said a press release, signed by its president Saddam Hossain and general secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Imon, published  on its website on Tuesday. Besides, the committee also dissolved the Jhenaigati upazila unit Bangladesh Chhatra League due to its inactivity for a long period. Also Read: BCL blamed for torturing students suspected as Shibir activists in Pabna According to the release, Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) Central Executive Committee has expelled Shaon for breaching party discipline and involvement in criminal activities which tarnished its image. On Saturday, Shaon swooped on the house of a Garo girl adjacent to Gazni Holiday Centre in Jhenaigati upazila and tried to violate. Also Read: BCL attack injures five JCD members The girl lodged a complaint with police on Monday and police arrested Shaon over attempting to rape the girl.          

The body of a 60-year-old farmer was found with injury marks from sharp weapons in a pile of logs in Sherpur Sadar upazila Friday morning, police said. The deceased was identified as Rafiq Miah from Bajitkhila union of the upazila. The farmers' family members said there had been a long-running feud between them and their neighbours – Kena, Omed Ali and Aungur Miah – over land. Read more: Barguna farmer commits suicide under weight of debt burden Rafiq left his house Thursday midnight and did not return, they said. Bachhir Ahmed, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station, said: "On information, we rushed to the spot and recovered the body with injury marks from sharp weapons." The body has been sent to Sadar Hospital morgue for post-mortem, he said. "We will take action after we find out the actual cause of death."

At least 21 people including six police officers, were injured on Tuesday in a clash between the law enforcers and BNP supporters over the protest procession brought out against the death of a Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Deal (JCD) leader in Brahmanbaria on Saturday. Police also detained 16 BNP supporters from the spot following the clash. The BNP said they brought out the procession from the house of district unit President Mahmudul Hoque Rubel around 3pm protesting the killing of JCD leader Nayon in the firing of police in Bancharampur upazila of the Brahmanbaria on Saturday , as well as the arrest of 15 BNP men from Sreebardi upazila of the district. The clash erupted when police barred the BNP men from marching toward the party office of the district in Roghunathpur area. The BNP men hurled brickbats targeting the cops protesting the barrier. Read more: Police–BNP clash in Kishoreganj: 29 including 11 cops hurt Police retaliated with tearshells and fired shots in the air to bring the situation under control, leaving 21 people including the cops injured. The district unit’s BNP President Mahmudul Hoque Rubel condemned the attack. He claimed that some 100 BNP men were injured in the attack by the cops without any provocation. Bachhir Ahmed Badal, office-in-charge of Sadar police station, rejected the BNP’s claims and said that the BNP men swooped on them without any instigation. Read more: BNP-police clash in Chandpur: Over 500 sued, 22 arrested “We detained 16 BNP men from the spot, lobbed tearshell and fired shots in the fire to bring the situation under control,” the OC said, adding that the situation was now under their control.  

For the last 127 years, Durga Puja is being celebrated at Sherpur’s Palbari Puja Mandap with much fanfare. Palbari is a testament to the fact that communal harmony and freedom of religion are deeply ingrained in the Bangladeshi psyche. Durga Puja at Palbari Mandap is a family event held at the house of late educationist Nagendra Chandra Pal in Khalbhanga area under Sherpur’s Nalitabari upazila. Besides being the oldest puja mandap of Sherpur district, it is also known as the second oldest mandap of the country. According to Palbari Puja Committee Chairman Gourango Chandra Pal, Durga Puja celebration at Palbari mandap started in 1885 by Mangal Ram Sarkar, the ancestor of Pal family. After Mangal’s death, his son Nagendra continued arranging the puja for half a century. Nagendra is no more, but the puja is still being arranged thanks to the relentless efforts of his four sons, who are now in charge.     Read: With scars from 2021, Cumilla sees tighter security for Durga Puja Over the years, Durga Puja at Palbari has become an integral part of the lives of the local Hindu community. From a mere family tradition, it has developed into a popular festival. The local Hindu devotees view the Palbari puja as a junction where people from all faiths mingle to find happiness. The Palbari puja mandap has a strong legacy. During the Bangladesh liberation war in 1971, when the Pakistani military were killing Hindus in droves, the Pal family continued celebrating Durga Puja defying all danger. This is a proof of the power that culture, tradition and religion possess. Bishwajit Pal, Nagendra’s son, said that the century-old Palbari puja mandap has been able to propagate harmony among the local people. Read: Bagerhat’s Durga Puja attraction: 151 idols in one mandap “We don’t discriminate against anyone based on his religious identity. The Palbari Puja Mandap is open for all. Arti and cultural programmes at the mandap every evening have become a source of entertainment for the local people,” he said. “We have been arranging the puja for four generations. Now the time has come for our next generation to take over. Through this puja, we just want to share happiness and regard best wishes for people,” Bishwajit said. Biplab Dey Ketu, a local journalist, said he has never missed the Palbari Puja since his childhood. Read Keep vigil against vandalism during Durga Puja: Obaidul Quader asks AL members “People from the area wait every year for this festival to commence. Our hearts become content each time we visit the place,” he said. This year, Durga Puja is being celebrated in 144 mandaps in Sherpur district. To avert any untoward incident, security has been beefed up at the festival sites. While all the mandaps have been brought under CCTV surveillance, a large number of police and Ansar personnel have also been deployed. Read 5 Durga Puja Bhog Recipes to try this festive season Besides non-stop patrolling by the law enforcement agencies, volunteers from the Puja Udjapon Parishad are also working tirelessly to ensure security in Sherpur’s Palbari Puja Mandap, organisers say.

On the first day of its 'recommenced' drive against illegal or unregistered clinics/healthcare centres, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) on Monday sealed shut seven such illegal clinics and diagnostic centres in Sherpur district alone on Monday. The hospitals were sealed during a drive conducted in Sherpur's Sadar upazila, led by Civil Surgeon Dr Anupam Bhattacharya. Also read: DGHS drive against unauthorised hospitals, clinics starts Monday The institutes announced shut are Bandhan Diagnostic Centre, RH Diagnostic Centre, New Insaf Diagnostic Centre, Siddik Diagnostic Centre, Syria Diagnostic Centre, Central Diagnostic Centre, and lastly New Life Private Hospital & Diagnostic Centre. "Institutes that have been running hospital businesses completely disregarding any registration requisites, have been shut, said Dr Anupam. Also read: Stop operation of all illegal clinics, diagnostic centers in 72 hrs: DGHS “The institutes with expired licenses have been asked to renew these as soon as possible. Our drive against illegal clinics and diagnostic centres will continue,” he added.

Police took a 38-year-old man into custody as a suspect in the killing of his wife of 10 years over family feuds at Boyra Paranpur village of Sherpur's Sadar upazia early Monday. Police also suspects that the husband, Md Shafiqul Islam, might have tried to end his own life as he was found to have taken pesticides and lay unconcious beside the body of wife, Parvin Begum,32. Shafiqul is undergoing treatment at a local hospital under police watch and he will be questioned about the incident after he gets well, police said. Also read: Man to die for killing housewife in Pabna According to the locals, Parvin had allegedly been subjected to torture by her husband since their marriage 10 years ago. The couple has two children.A few months ago, Parveen went to her father's house after quarrels with her husband. On Sunday night, Shafiqul went to his father-in-law's house and allegedly strangled his wife, said locals.Parvin's mother entered her daughter's room in the morning as she found it unusually calm since early morning and saw Parvin and her husband lying on the floor, said Bosir Ahmed, officer-in-charge (OC) of Sadar police station. Also read: Police recover SI's wife's hanging body; cause of death unclearHearing her screams, some neighbours rushed to the house and found the woman dead. They also found Shafiqul unconscious on the floor.On information, police recovered the woman's body and sent it to Sherpur Sadar Hospital morgue for an autopsy.Shafiqul might have strangled his wife to death over a family feud sometime at night and attempted to kill himself by drinking pesticides, said the OC.Meanwhile, police detained Shafiqul. No case has been lodged yet.

The body of an 8th grader was recovered from an open toilet of his school in Bhimganj Bazar area of the district town on Friday morning, said police. Identified as Mohammad Rimon, the 16-year-old boy was son of Sagor Mia of Khunia Madhyapara village under the Sadar upazila and the student of Daffodil School. The victim’s mother Rasheda Begum, in choked voice, said that Rimon went out of house on Thursday evening saying he was going to his maternal grandfather's home.     “In the morning we heard the news of his death,” she said. Read: College teacher Utpal murder: Prime accused held in Gazipur Local people said they smelt a bad odour from the toilet while they were passing by it around 11am, though the school remained closed due to the weekly holiday. Later, they found body of the schoolboy lying in the open toilet and informed police. Bachhir Ahmed, Officer-in-charge (OC) of Sadar Police Station, said on information they rushed to the spot and recovered the body and sent it to Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy. Though there were marks of injuries on the right side of head, the exact reason for his death will be known following the autopsy, he said. Meanwhile, teams of Criminal Investigation Department and Detective Branch and Police Bureau of Investigation inspected the spot and collected samples, the OC added.

A man accused of killing his wife and her parents was arrested with local weapons by police from Khoshalpur Putol village under Sherpur’s Sribardi upazila on Friday morning. The arrestee has been identified as Mintu Mia, son of Hai Uddin of Geramara village under Sherpur’s Sribardi upazila. Also read: Sherpur youth sentenced to life imprisonment in rape case According to Biplab Kumar Bishwas, officer In-charge (OC) of Sribardi police station, Mintu attacked his in-laws' house around 7:00pm on Saturday and hacked a total of six people, including his wife, his father-in-law, and his mother-in-law with a poacher. The three succummed to wounds later in the night. The deceased are- Monira Begum, 40, her father Mahmud Hazi, 65, and hee mother Shefali Begum, 60. Also read:Two land in jail over killing Asian elephant in Sherpur The attack left another three people critically injured, who are now undergoing treatment at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital (MMCH).