United News of Bangladesh

Five people including three women were killed in lightning strikes in three upazilas of Chapainawabganj district on Thursday afternoon. They died during rainfall when lightning struck different areas of Sadar, Shibganj and Nachol upazilas. The deceased were identified as Abdullah, son of Md Rabbil of Atahar area in Jhelim union of Sadar upazila; Mahmuda Akhter, wife of Abdur Rab of Chakanrendra village in Chakkirti union of Shibganj upazila; Sadia Khatun, daughter of Abul Kashem of Ranibari-Bazarpara; Md Mesbaul, son of Fitu Ali of Shikarpur Dakshinpara in Mobarakpur union; and Sumiyara Begum of Lahabari village in Nachol upazila. Of them, three died in Shibganj upazila. Matiur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Shibganj Police Station, said the three victims from Shibganj were struck by lightning while picking mangoes in orchards near their homes during rain. Shibganj Upazila Project Implementation Officer Mizanur Rahman said the families of the victims were given Tk 25,000 each as immediate financial assistance. Chapainawabganj Sadar Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Ekramul Hossain said lightning hit Abdullah while he was  going to the field in the rain to bring cattle. He was taken to Chapainawabganj District Hospital where doctors declared him dead. In Nachol upazila, Sumiyara Begum died by lightning strike while returning home after collecting grass from a field, said Nachol Police Station Officer-in-Charge Sukomal Chandra Debnath. Authorities said financial assistance of Tk 25,000 each will also be provided to the families of the victims in Sadar and Nachol upazilas.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has seized four Indian cattle in an anti-smuggling operation at Chapainawabganj border after recovering them from the Matpara area of Narayanpur Union under Sadar upazila during a late-night drive on Monday. Lt Col Kazi Mostafizur Rahman, commanding officer of the 53 BGB Battalion, confirmed the matter on Tuesday morning and said, acting on a tip-off, a patrol team from Jahurpurtek BOP conducted a raid in the border area around 12:45 am on Monday. During the operation, the four Indian cattle were found abandoned. The estimated market value of the seized cattle is around Tk 3 lakh, according to BGB. Later, the cattle were handed over to the Chapainawabganj customs office. However, no one was arrested in connection with the incident. BGB said its operations against smuggling in the border area will continue.

Nineteen children showing symptoms consistent with measles were admitted to the Chapainawabganj district hospital over a 24-hour period from 12:00am on Tuesday to 12:00am on Wednesday. Hospital sources said children with fever, rash, and cold-like symptoms continue to arrive every day, putting pressure on the 250-bed district hospital. Authorities have already opened an isolation corner to manage the situation, but overcrowding has forced some children to receive treatment on the floor due to a shortage of beds. During the 24-hour period, 44 children recovered and were discharged, while three serious cases were referred to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment. At present, 75 children remain admitted at the hospital with similar symptoms. Since January this year, a total of 721 children have received treatment at the hospital with measles-like symptoms, and four deaths have been reported during this period. Resident Medical Officer Dr Abdus Samad of the hospital said not all cases have been confirmed as measles. In many cases, heat-related rashes along with fever and cold symptoms are being mistaken for measles, causing panic among guardians. He advised that hospital admission is not necessary for every suspected case, urging parents to seek doctor advice and manage mild cases at home if possible, given the ongoing bed shortage.

Police recovered the body of a man from a mango orchard in Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj on Saturday afternoon. The deceased was identified as Shihab Ali, 28, son of Rafiqul Islam of Sorjon village under Gobratala union in Chapainawabganj Sadar Upazila. Relatives said Shihab left home on Friday night and did not return. Locals found the body on Saturday afternoon and informed police. Two charred bodies recovered in Gazipur Police said the body had multiple injury marks and initially suspected it to be a murder. Empty ampoules and syringes of narcotic injections were seized from the scene, and authorities are investigating whether he was drug-addicted. SM Shakil Hasan, Inspector of Shibganj Police Station, said the body was sent to Chapainawabganj District Hospital morgue for autopsy. Legal action will be taken in this regard, he added.

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members recovered 6.27 kilograms of gunpowder and bomb-making materials in Shibganj upazila of Chapainawabganj district on Sunday night. According to a press release sent by RAB-5 on Monday morning, those were seized from a mustard field in Parghorapakhia area. No one was arrested in this connection, it said. RAB recovers five looted grenades from Dhaka’s Demra RAB said tipped off, a team conducted a drive around 10 pm on Sunday in the area and found 6.27 kilograms of gunpowder, 1.7 kilograms of small stones, 1.4 kilograms of glass powder, 385 grams of iron nails, 12 red-colored costepes, 31 plastic jars, and 29 gas lighters abandoned in three polythene packets. The seized explosives and materials were handed over to Shibganj Police Station for investigation.

For generations, Amnura railway junction has connected people, markets and livelihoods across Chapainawabganj and now this station stands worn and overlooked. Established in 1909 as part of the Abdulpur–Malda railway line, the once-busy junction has gradually lost its significance. The passenger shed at the station was declared abandoned around one and a half decades ago. Since then, travelers have been forced to wait for trains under the open sky, exposed to scorching heat, rain and cold. Jujube cultivation brings new prosperity to Cumilla’s Shikarpur village The station area lacks even the most basic facilities, including safe drinking water, toilets and proper seating arrangements.

A quiet village in Chapainawabganj has become the centre of local curiosity and inspiration after an agricultural entrepreneur successfully cultivated Chinese oranges, an achievement many had believed impossible in Bangladesh. Forty-one-year-old farmer Sayem Ali has drawn visitors from across the area, all eager to witness the clusters of bright, ripe oranges hanging heavily from the trees in his orchard. The scene has created both excitement and a stir among villagers, who until now had only seen Chinese oranges in markets as imported fruit. Sayem, who previously relied on mango farming, said he struggled to maintain a steady income from the crop. Read more: The young entrepreneur who brought orange farming to Naogaon His interest in Chinese oranges began when he noticed the fruit increasingly available in local markets. Intrigued, he approached the local agriculture office for advice. With guidance and technical support from agricultural officials, he brought three bighas of land under cultivation in Baharam of Sadar Upazila in 2022. The initial investment stood at Tk 1.5 lakh. Now, just a few years later, the orchard is teeming with fruit. “I managed to recover my costs and even made a small profit from my first harvest in 2024,” Sayem said, adding, “But this year the trees are full. I’m selling the oranges at Tk 100 per kilogram, and after expenses, I expect to earn Tk 6 to 7 lakh.” Read more: Youth's success in orange farming sparks an agricultural trend in Kurigram Farm worker Anarul Islam, who has cared for the orchard since its early days, echoed the optimism. “The harvest has been excellent. These oranges taste very good, and the demand is high. We don’t even need to take them to the market, as buyers come directly to the orchard,” he said. Sayem’s success has quickly inspired others. Curious farmers and residents have been flocking to Baharam, many considering whether they too should switch to or start cultivating Chinese oranges. Local resident Abdul Malek admitted he had never imagined the fruit could grow locally. “We always thought Chinese oranges came from abroad. After visiting the orchard and speaking with the owner, I’m convinced it’s profitable. I plan to start cultivating them too, with support from the agriculture office,” he said. Read more: Chuadanga farmers thrive as cauliflower yields hit new high

For the residents of Shahjahanpur, Alatuli and Charbagdanga unions in Sadar upazila of Chapainawabganj, a 60-metre bridge over the Narendrapur–Kachrar canal is more than just concrete and steel--it is the promise of easier journeys and safer roads. But that promise remains unfulfilled, as approach roads are still incomplete and construction has stalled repeatedly. The bridge, initiated in 2023 by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) at a cost of Tk 6.90 crore, was originally scheduled for completion in March this year. But land acquisition issues and delayed compensation for local landowners have forced residents to take detours of nearly 10 kilometres every day. Now, locals said, the new completion deadline has been extended to June next year. Seven years on, Tk 130cr Sunamganj bridges still unfinished Jashim, a local resident, described the daily struggle, saying, “Landowners did not allow the work to continue because they hadn’t received compensation. After much persuasion, work started, but they obstructed it again during soil-filling. Work has been stopped for nearly seven months. Many accidents occurred due to the poor condition of the road. Because of this small stretch, we now have to travel an extra 10 kilometres every day.” Rahim highlighted the safety hazards, stating, “If the bridge was completed, movement would be easier. Now the deep ditch causes auto-rickshaws to overturn frequently, injuring our relatives.” Another local man, Rafique, bemoans, “When the work began, we hoped to reach the town more quickly. But now motorcycles are overturned and heavy vehicles cannot pass. Despite a Tk 7-crore bridge, we are getting no benefit. We demand its quick completion.” Contacted, contractor Md Selim explained the delay, saying, “The work had to be suspended due to obstruction by landowners who had yet to receive their compensation. The funds have reached the Deputy Commissioner’s office. Once legal procedures are completed and landowners are paid, work will resume.” Deadlock between two departments brings Gomti Bridge Project to standstill Azharul Islam, engineer of LGED under Sadar upazila, said the main structure is ready, with only approach roads pending. “The land acquisition issue is close to being resolved. Work will resume soon and will be completed within two to three months,” he said.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday (November 15) said his party will give top priority to resolving longstanding water-sharing disputes and stopping what he described as ‘Indian hegemony’ with Bangladesh. Talking to reporters after inspecting a rubber dam built on the Mahananda River in Chapainawabganj, Fakhrul said issues related to the Teesta and Farakka, fair water shares, and border killings will be among top priorities if their party is elected to power. Ensuring Bangladesh’s fair share of water and stopping border killings are priorities of BNP’s politics, he asserted. Read more: Global democracies push for fair election in Bangladesh: Khosru Fakhrul said India, as a neighbouring country, has every opportunity to maintain good relations with Bangladesh. “During the Liberation War in 1971, India stood by us. They should extend even greater cooperation now. But unfortunately, we have witnessed the opposite. The Modi government has put pressure on Bangladesh, taken everything, and given us nothing. That was the failure of the Awami League government,” he added. “The relations must be on the basis of equal footing. Our national interests must come first,” Fakhrul added. The BNP secretary general arrived in Chapainawabganj to join a mass rally organised as part of the ‘Save the Padma, Save the Country; Bangladesh First’ campaign. Read more: BNP weighing review of ‘controversial’ nominations amid grassroots unrest

In the lush fields of Chapainawabganj, where betel leaves have been nurtured since the days of the British Raj, a bountiful harvest has brought little cheer to the farmers. Despite an abundant yield this season, the leafy green treasure is failing to fetch fair prices, leaving many cultivators struggling to recover even the cost of production. Betel leaf cultivation thrives in Sadar and Shibganj upazilas, where generations of farmers have painstakingly tended their gardens. This year, favourable weather promised a fruitful season, with leaves sprouting in abundance. Yet, instead of smiles, the harvest has brought financial woes, as market prices have tumbled to alarming lows. Farmers sell betel leaves in units known as ‘pa’n’, each consisting of 80 leaves, with prices varying according to size -- small, medium and large. Last year, a large-sized pa’n could command Tk 130–140, a medium-sized one Tk 70–90, and a small bundle Tk 25–30. This year, however, the market paints a dismal picture: large leaves fetch only Tk 30–40, medium ones Tk 12–15, and small leaves barely Tk 2–5. Tk 38-crore women’s sports complex in Rangpur turns into grazing ground! Abdul Bari, a grower from Jadupur in Sadar upazila, lamented, “This time, there is hardly any price for betel leaves. Although production costs are higher than last year, the price is only one-third. Everything from labour wages to pesticides and husks has gone up. As a result, we are facing losses.” Similarly, Abdus Salam from Durgapur said, “Last year I sold large-sized betel leaves for Tk 130–140 per pawn. This year, I’m barely getting Tk 30–40. The small ones are practically worthless. We can’t even cover our costs.”