United News of Bangladesh

An ambulance driver was killed in a head-on collision with a truck on the Natore-Rajshahi Highway in Natore Sadar upazila early Monday. The deceased was identified as Swapon Chandra, 32, son of Gobor Jain of Khanpur area in Sherpur upazila of Bogura. ASI Haider Ali of Paba Highway Police Station said the accident occurred at around 5:30am in the Chandpur area. Swapon was returning to Khwaja Yunus Ali Medical College & Hospital (KYAMCH) in Sirajganj’s Enayetpur after dropping off a patient at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital, the police official said. On the way, the ambulance collided head-on with an oncoming truck, leaving the ambulance badly damaged. Swapan died on the spot. On information, police from Paba Highway Police Station rushed to the scene and recovered the body, said the police official.

Two people were killed when a bus rammed a human hauler on Natore-Rajshahi highway at Ramaigachi in Sadar upazila of Natore district on Saturday. The deceased were identified as Syed Mia, 45, a human hauler driver, and Sabbir Hossain, 23 of the upazila. The accident occurred in the afternoon when a Dhaka-bound bus from Rajshahi hit the human hauler, leaving two people dead on the spot, said Mansur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge of Sadar Police Station. On information, a firefighting unit rushed to the scene and recovered the bodies. The bodies were later sent to the Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.

A woman died while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Natore on Sunday night, with her family alleging medical negligence. The incident triggered vandalism at the hospital and clashes between staff and the victim's relatives. The deceased, Runa Begum, was an employee of Pubali Bank's Natore branch and lived in the Harishpur area of the town. According to her relatives, Runa suffered a stroke on Sunday afternoon and was first taken to Natore Sadar General Hospital. She was later shifted to Al-Sun Hospital for advanced treatment, where she was placed on oxygen support. The family alleged that at around 11pm, the hospital owner, Bablu, switched off the patient's oxygen supply, leading to her death. Following the incident, enraged relatives and local residents vandalised parts of the hospital and blockaded the facility, demanding justice. A clash also broke out between hospital employees and the victim's relatives. Mansur Rahman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Natore Sadar Police Station, said police rushed to the scene and brought the situation under control around 3 am. The OC also confirmed that hospital owner Bablu has been taken into police custody for questioning. Further investigation is underway regarding the incident.

Police recovered the body of a missing man from a pond in Natore’s Naldanga upazila on Friday morning. The deceased was identified as Milon Prang, 45, a resident of Brahmapur Hajipara village in the upazila. According to police and locals, Milon went missing after leaving home on Wednesday afternoon. Family members searched different places but failed to trace him. On Thursday morning, relatives found his clothes and shoes beside a pond owned by a local resident named Kalam and brought those home. Around 8:30am on Friday, Milon’s wife Shabana Khatun spotted a floating body in the pond and raised alarm, drawing locals to the scene. Being informed, police rushed to the spot and recovered the body. Officer-in-Charge of Naldanga Police Station Nur-e-Alam said they were trying to determine the exact cause of death.

Two schoolchildren drowned in a pond in Baraigram upazila of Natore district on Tuesdau. The deceased were identified as Nur Mohammad, a class IV student and son of Raju Ahmed, and Arafat, a class III student and son of Pintu. Ahmed who works in Dhaka. Both were cousins and residents of Purnakals village under Gopalpur union. Locals said Nur and Raju went to a pond near their home for bathing at noon and went missing shortly afterwards. When repeated searches failed to locate them, villagers began a search in the pond. Later both were rescued and taken to a local clinic where doctors declared them dead.Baraigram Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abdus Salam said a police team has been sent to the spot to investigate the incident.

The official mango harvesting season began in Natore on Friday in line with the schedule set by the district administration, with growers starting to collect early-season varieties from orchards across the district. The harvesting of Guti variety mangoes formally began in the morning, with leaseholders plucking naturally ripened Baishakhi mangoes from government orchards in the Bhaturia area of Sadar upazila. Harvesting and marketing activities were also underway in different mango-producing areas of the district. The Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) expects around 68,316 tonnes of mangoes worth nearly Tk 400 crore to be produced this season from 5,693 hectares of orchards across the district. Md Habibul Islam Khan, deputy director of the district DAE, said Natore has already secured its position as the fourth-largest mango-producing district in northern Bangladesh. He said the district’s renowned Tamaltala and Ahmadpur mango markets witness transactions worth crores of taka every day during the peak season, attracting traders from Dhaka and different parts of the country. Traders collect a wide range of sweet and popular mango varieties from these wholesale markets for distribution nationwide, he added. According to agriculture officials, mango harvesting, trading and marketing activities in Natore are expected to continue until October.

A seven-year-old boy was killed after being hit by a battery-run auto-rickshaw at Dighoir Cumillapara in Baraigram upazila of Natore district on Saturday. The deceased was identified as Abdur Rahim, a nursery student of Jonail Pre-Cadet School and son of Shah Alam of the village. The accident occurred around 8 am when the battery-run auto-rickshaw ran over him while crossing road in front of the school, leaving him dead on the spot, said Abdus Salam, officer-in-charge of Baraigram Police Station. On information, police seized the auto-rickshaw but could not arrest its driver as he managed to flee the scene.

A young man was killed on Thursday when a pickup van struck his motorcycle in Mohanpur area of Natore town. The deceased has been identified as Abdullah, 27, also known as Abdul, a resident of Agpara village in Singra upazila. According to police and local sources, Abdullah was riding his motorcycle near the BTV sub-station in Mohanpur when a pickup van hit him from behind. He was thrown onto the road and died on the spot. Police recovered the body and sent it to the Sadar Hospital morgue. Natore Sadar police station Officer-in-Charge Shafikul Islam said legal action is being taken in connection with the incident.

A woman and her one and a half years old daughter were killed in a fire at Binnabari village in Gurudaspur upazila of Natore early Monday. Another woman sustained severe burns and was hospitalised. The deceased were Atia, 27, and her daughter Rawaza. The fire started at the house of Montaz Ali around 4 am and they died after being trapped in the fire, Gurudaspur police station Officer-in-Charge Shafiquzzaman said. Montaz’s 65-year-old wife Marzina Begum was rescued in critical condition and admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. The fire completely destroyed the house and a nearby kitchen shed. Twelve goats also died in the blaze in the cowshed. Fire breaks out in women’s ward at Sylhet Osmani Hospital The fire service has yet to determine the exact cause of the fire incident. The cause of the blaze is under investigation, said the OC.

Finance Ministry Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed on Friday asked government officials to be patient regarding the new pay scale. He said the pay scale has been prepared after 10 years. “There are many calculations. A committee has been formed. They are working. After the committee submits its report, the scale will be implemented,” he said. He added that funding is the main issue and assured that there is no reason to be discouraged. Dr. Saleh Uddin Ahmed made the remarks while inspecting the Gurudaspur Upazila Mini Stadium in Natore. He was accompanied by Cabinet Secretary Dr. Sheikh Abdur Rashid, Finance Secretary Dr. Sheikh Khairuzzaman Majumdar, Secretary of the Economic Relations Division Md. Shahriar Kader Siddiqui, and other senior officials. The finance adviser also said that everyone should vote in favor of referendum. He noted that there has never been a reform in Bangladesh for the people; changes have always been party-based. Pay Commission to reveal report date soon, work continues: Dr Salehuddin He further added, “Through referendum, the political government will gain strength in the future. That is why the government is speaking in favor of public voting.” Dr. Saleh Uddin Ahmed praised the mini stadium during his visit. Natore Deputy Commissioner Asma Shahin briefed him about the facilities.