An activist of the local unit of Jubo League was shot dead allegedly by miscreants at Baghoil Rooppur intersection in Ishwardi upazila of Pabna district on Monday. The deceased was identified as Walif Hossain Manik, 35, an active member of Jubo League and son of Yunus Ali of the upazila. He was also a former vice-president of Pakshi union unit Chhatra League. Quoting family members of the deceased, Shahidul Islam, officer-in-charge of Ishwardi Police Station, said Manik was an accused of Chhatra League activist Tafsir Ahmed Mana killing case and he also served in jail in the case. Recently, Manik walked out of jail after securing bail in the case. On Monday morning, Manik went out from his home to appear before the court following the case. When he reached at Baghoil Rooppur intersection, 8-10 miscreants opened fire on him around 9 am and stabbed him indiscriminately, leaving Manik dead on the spot. Police sent the body to Pabna General Hospital morgue for autopsy. Chhatra League and Jubo League in the area had been at loggerheads over establishing supremacy for the past several days and the murder might have taken place over the issue.    

Train service between Dhaka and the northern regions of Bangladesh was halted following the derailment of two bogies of the Burimari Express at Muladuli Railway Station in Ishwardi upazila of Pabna. The incident occurred early this morning (May 09, 2024). Sundarbans fire: Expert committee to visit affected area Thursday The derailment took place as the train was passing through the Muladuli station area. Railway authorities are currently on the scene, working to re-rail the affected bogies and clear the tracks. Rajshahi Railway Station Manager Abdul Karim confirmed the derailment, and said that efforts are in progress to restore service as quickly as possible.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed a $121.55 million financing package with Dynamic Sun Energy Private Limited to build and operate a 100-megawatt (MW) grid-connected solar photovoltaic power plant in Pabna, Bangladesh.  The plant is the country’s first private sector utility-scale solar facility to secure support from global financiers, said the Manilla-based lending agency on Monday (April 29, 2024).  ADB arranged, structured, and syndicated the debt package as the sole mandated lead arranger and bookrunner.  The financing package comprises a $46.75 million loan from ADB, a syndicated B-loan of $28.05 million from ILX Fund I, an Amsterdam-based emerging market private credit fund focused on supporting the Sustainable Development Goals with ADB as lender of record, and a syndicated parallel loan of $46.75 million from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.  Competition policy can unlock increased FDI flows into Bangladesh: ADB Country Director to MCCI “As Asia’s climate bank, ADB welcomes the opportunity to support renewable energy in Bangladesh, where obtaining long-term financing for such projects is a challenge,” said ADB Private Sector Operations Department Director General Suzanne Gaboury. “This partnership exemplifies our lead role in mobilising financing for clean energy facilities and stimulating further investment in sectors where it’s needed the most.” The solar power plant will generate 193.5 gigawatt-hours of electricity annually and avoid 93,654 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. “We are delighted to secure financing for one of the largest private sector solar projects in Bangladesh to date, with the support of international lenders led by ADB,” said PT Managing Director Shakhawat Hossain.  “Partnering with an internationally reputable financial institution such as ADB affirms PT’s dedication to sustainability and marks a significant stride in our journey towards sustainable growth.” Banks tailoring offshore services with lucrative benefits aimed at wealthy NRBs DSE is owned by Paramount Textile PLC (PT), one of the largest woven textile manufacturers in Bangladesh, which also operates several power plants.  PT manufactures high-quality yarn-dyed and printed woven fabrics using a wide range of yarns, modern weaving technologies, and print types.  PT was publicly listed on the Dhaka and Chittagong stock exchanges in 2013. 

The ongoing heat wave condition and drought have posed a serious threat to the production of litchi, a mouth-watering summer fruit, in Pabna district. Pabna’s Iswardi upazila is known as one of the leading litchi production zones in the country. But this year, farmers and traders are fearing losses as small litchi pods are falling from the trees due to the prevailing heat wave. At the beginning of this season, litchi farmers had expected a bumper production of litchi but 50% of buds had fallen due to the heavy rains with hails in the middle of Chaitra (Bangla) month. On the other hand, due to the extreme heat at the beginning of summer, a large part of the litchi pods are now falling. If summer heat continues, the litchi farmers have to count a huge loss this year. High temperature, lack of rain threaten lucrative litchi production in Magura Besides, the wholesale traders who had bought the orchards with the sprouting of trees have become worried over possible losses this season. According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), this year, a total of 4,721 hectares of land have been brought under litchi cultivation and among these, 3,150 hectares are in Ishwardi upazila of the district. They also set a target to produce 48,801 metric tonnes of litchi this year. During a recent visit to some litchi orchards, the UNB correspondent found that at the beginning of the month of Falgun, there were enough buds coming in each litchi tree. Seeing a lot of buds on trees, the traders bought the orchards at a higher price in advance. But due to the ongoing drought and untimely rains with hailstorm at the end of Chaitra, most of the buds have been damaged. Mirajul Sheikh, a litchi grower of Ishwardi upazila, said about 40-50 percent litchi buds were destroyed during hailstorm but now a large portion of litchi pods are dropping due to the prevailing heat wave. Sonargaon litchi growers expecting bumper yield Manirul, a trader, said he had bought a litchi orchard at a cost of Tk 25 lakh but he is too frustrated. He is now doubtful whether he will be able to sell litchi worth Tk 10 lakh.Though the DAE officials suggested the farmers to spray water and continue irrigation but farmers said it is not possible to spray water in vast tract of land that was brought under litchi cultivation.However, the DAE officials are still expecting bumper production this year.Sheikh Mehedi, a litchi grower and trader, said the biggest economic activity of the farmers of Ishwardi upazila depends on litchi production. Farmers of the upazila will be severely affected if they don’t get expected output . Jamal Uddin, deputy director of Pabna DAE, said this year, litchi trees saw profuse flowering and if litchi comes from half of those it will be huge. However, some litchi are being damaged due to drought and the current heat wave. Farmers are being suggested to spray water on the upper side of the litchi trees and irrigate the lands, he added.Read more: Severe heatwave in Khulna: Day labourers forced to work in dangerous conditions

Three suspected cattle lifters were killed in a lynch-mob attack  in Bhangura upazila of Pabna district on Saturday morning.  Police said a gang of suspected thieves lifted two cows from the house of Golap Hossain at Mirzapur village in Chatmohar upazila and tried to flee with the cows through the Gumani River in a boat. Derailment halts train movement on Pabna-Ishwardi route At one stage, local people chased the thieves and beat them up mercielessly at Betuan Ghat in Bhangura, leaving them dead. Three local youths were injured in attack by the thieves and were admitted to Bhangura Upazila Health Complex. Miscreants set fire to train in Pabna Bhangura Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Nazmul Haque said  two sharp weapons were recovered from the spot. The bodies of the deceased were recovered but their identities could not be ascertained yet, he said adding that the bodies were sent to Pabna General Hospital morgue for autopsy. Pabna road accident leaves 2 dead

Two people were dead and two were injured in an accident involving a truck, a CNG run auto-rickshaw and a shallow engine on Ishwardi-Baneshwar road in Ishwardi upazila of Pabna district this morning. Read : President urges unity at reception by Pabna Development Foundation The deceased were identified as Ahsan Molla, 65, of Bagha upazila in Rajshahi district and Abdul Malek, 30, son of Ala Mandal of Ishwardi upazila. Read : President inaugurates construction of 500-bed Pabna Medical College Hospital Quoting local, Arbindo Sarkar, officer-in-charge of Ishwardi Police Station, said the accident occurred in the morning near Govt. Sara Marwari Model School and College when the truck, CNG-run auto-rickshaw and a shallow engine crashed into each other, leaving two passengers of the three wheeler dead on the spot and two injured. Read : 2 die as bus crashes into an autorickshaw in Pabna The injured were taken to Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday (October 16, 2023) asked the officials concerned to make sure that developments projects don’t impede the free flow of  water bodies, including rivers and canals. “We have to ensure the uninterrupted flow of rivers. Keeping that in mind, we have to carry out our projects and development activities,” she said. The prime minister said this while inaugurating various projects under the ministries of water resources and health. She joined the programme from her official residence, Ganabhaban, through video link. She said that in the name of development it is often seen that all water bodies are filled up. “I think that this is very fulsome. All have to take step to save the water resources whenever any project is taken up or implemented,” she stressed. Hasina also put importance on preserving water during the monsoon season. She put emphasis on continuous capital dredging and maintenance dredging whichever is needed for the water bodies. Read more: Bangladesh is a role model to least development countries: Shahab Uddin The PM also said that the natural flow of the rivers, canals, beels (lake-like wetland) and other water bodies must not be hindered during implementation of any development project. She asked the relevant authorities to ensure having at least one water reservoir in every development project. Mentioning water as the biggest resource for the country, she said that all water bodies must have to be protected. “The nature will flow by its own course, and we have to take steps to save our resources going with that flow,” she said. Read more: Development should prioritise environmental protection over environmental damage: Dr Hossain Zillur Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque and State Minister for Water Resources Ministry Zaheed Farooque also spoke at the programme.

The first consignment of uranium, the nuclear fuel for Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, has arrived in Pabna’s Rooppur under special security arrangement. Akbar Ali Munsi, superintendent of Pabna police, confirmed the development saying that the first consignment of the uranium was transported here around 1:15pm Friday. First batch of uranium for RNPP heads to Rooppur amid tight security He said the motorcade carrying the uranium broke down in Gazipur partly due to mechanical fault, but resumed the journey around 7am after it was fixed. An additional number of law enforcement agencies were deployed on the Dhaka-Pabna Highway and check posts were also set up at important points as part of the security measures, the SP said, adding that vehicular movement on the highway was also kept suspended. Akbar Ali said the authorities concerned were asked to keep vehicular movement suspended on the highway due to the security issue as the route frequently remains stuck with traffic gridlock.  He, however, said the vehicles plying on the highway were asked to operate through alternative Aricha-Kazirhat routes to avoid suffering. First shipment of uranium for Rooppur nuclear power plant arrives in country Earlier, the first batch of fresh uranium for the first unit of Rooppur nuclear power plant arrived at Dhaka airport on Thursday in a special air cargo from Russia. According to official sources, Director General of the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom Aleksey Likhachev will hand over the fuel officially to the project authority in the Rooppur project on October 5. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to virtually join the function. The fuel was produced at the Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant (NCCP) in Russia, a subsidiary of Rosatom's fuel manufacturing company Tevel. USD300 million compensation guarantee given to import fuel for Rooppur plant: Official Rosatom as a Russian contractor has been engaged in building the 2400 MW Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) having two units with capacity 1200 MW each. According to project officials, the government is expecting to commission the first unit of the RNPP in September next year and second unit in mid of 2025.

A case has been filed against six people including the Project Director (PD)in connection with the death of two labourers while working at Pabna University of Science and Technology(PUST). One of the accused, Hossain, has been arrested, said Kripa Shindhu Bala, officer-in-charge of Pabna sadar police station on Friday. Also read : Man beaten to death by mob in Pabna suspecting thief The accused are manager of the contractor company Nazirul Haque, Harunur Rashid, Project Director Lt.Col(retd) GM Azizur Rahman, manager of another contractor company Mizanur Rahman, site engineer Sujauddoula, and site engineer Hossain. The OC said the case was registered after the victim’s family logged a complaint over negligence. Police said three workers were seriously injured after from the 12th floor of under-construction Sheikh Russel Hall on the campus on Friday. Also read : 2 workers die after falling off under-construction building in Pabna University They were rescued and taken to Pabna General Hospital where doctors declared one of them dead. As the condition of two other victims was critical they were referred to Rajshahi General Hospital. One of them died on the way to Rajshahi. The condition of the other injured is also critical. The deceased were Tuhin, son of Anisur Rahman of Char Masudebpur Baganpara area of Chapainawabganj and Asadul Ali, son of late Mujibur Rahman of Ramna village Ghanti Getagari area. Also read : 2 children in Pabna dead as pile of sand ‘illegally lifted from river’ collapses on them With the two, a total of 15 workers have died so far during the construction of several buildings on the campus allegedly due to negligence of contractor farm. Dr. Kamal Hossen, proctor of the university, blamed the contractor company for the death of the workers.

Three people died after being struck by lightning in different areas of Pabna district on Saturday. The deceased were identified as Enamul Haq, 18, son of Abdul Majid; Moniruzzaman, 40; and Rafiqul Islam, 42.  According to Liakat Hossain, chairman of the Ekdanta Union Parishad of Atgharia, Enamul was cutting grass in the field at 3 pm when he died due to lightning during heavy rain.  Read more: Lightning strikes kill two in C’nawabganj Aminul Islam Amin, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Aminpur Police Station, said the rain began in the afternoon as farmer Moniruzzaman was working in a field near his house. Later, on his way home in the rain, he was struck by lightning and died.  According to Sujanagar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abdul Hannan, Rafiq was also working in the field when he was struck by lightning during the rain around 3 pm. He died on the spot.