Sylhet
Indefinite bus strike in Sylhet from Sunday
Sylhet transport workers will enforce an indefinite strike in the district from Sunday morning demanding the withdrawal of two officials of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority in Sylhet alleging corruption and harassment.
The strike was announced at an emergency meeting on Thursday, said joint secretary of the District Bus-Minibus-Coach-Microbus Workers Union Ali Akbar.
Also read: Sale of beef, mutton suspended in Sylhet
Workers will abstain from their work from 6 am on Sunday as part of the strike.
According to transport workers' leaders, BRTA Sylhet Officer (AD) Sanaul Haque and Record Room employee Delwar issue vehicle documents or driver's licenses in a short period through bribes which cannot be obtained at the specified time in the proper process. They also harass transport workers for bribes.
Also read:Fuel traders stage demonstration for uninterrupted fuel, gas supply in Sylhet
And so, the transport workers demanded the withdrawal of the two BRTA officials in the next 24 hours.
Sale of beef, mutton suspended in Sylhet
Meat Traders Co-operative Association in Sylhet has suspended sale of beef and mutton from Thursday morning demanding hike in prices fixed by the local administration.
Abdul Khalik, general secretary of the association, said the Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) fixed the prices of beef at Tk 600 per kg and mutton at Tk 850 per kg.
Also read: Prices of essentials to stay tolerable during Ramadan: PM
“But if we sell meat at the prices fixed by SCC we have to count losses. We have been urging SCC Mayor Ariful Haq Chowdhury to raise prices of mutton and beef for the last one month but their prices remained the same. So, we have decided to refrain from selling meat,” he said.
The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the association early Thursday.
He also threatened that they will not resume selling of beef and mutton until their demand is met.
Also read:Enough stock of edible oil to keep the price stable: Tipu
He also demanded the government fix a price for meat across the country.
Hill water of woes drowns paddy fields in Sylhet
Farmers of Sylhet's Companiganj upazila are a worried lot, as their paddy fields have got submerged due to the onrush of hill water for the last two days.
Some 400 bighas of cropland are already under water in Companiganj, according to the upazila agriculture department. And the worst hit are Fuksha Haor, Bhai Kuri, Moter Kuri, Dewar Kar, Kapna Kuri, Daila Haor, Akhai Kuri, Kanglaghati and Daram Haor of the upazila's South Ranikhai Union.
Read: Boro crops go under water in Netrakona
Deputy assistant agriculture officer Pankaj said that though only 50 bighas of paddy land in Ichakals union is under water, the Patharchauli Haor protection dam can breach any time. "A disaster is waiting to happen," he told UNB.
Alamgir Alam, chairman of East Islampur union parishad, said that with the help of locals, "a dam was built in Rauti Haor". "However, the dam breached in strong currents, submerging paddy fields."
Raihan Parvez Rony, upazila agriculture officer, said, "If the flow of hill water continues, all the boro crops in the upazila will be damaged."
Boro has been cultivated across 5,850 hectares of land in the upazila this year, said the officer.
Read: Crops on 12,000ha damaged as norwester lashes Sirajganj
Fakhrul Ahmed, deputy assistant engineer of the Sylhet Water Development Board, said that an 8.561km-long crop protection dam has been constructed at Haor in Companiganj. Although the dam is strong enough, it will be difficult to protect the crops in the area in case of an overflow."
Upazila nirbahi officer Lusikanta Hajong said the low-lying areas were flooded by the sudden onrush of hill water. "However, our crop protection dams are still in the safe zone. A list of affected farmers is being prepared."
Madrasah teacher killed, 50 injured in clash between villagers in Sylhet
A 50-year-old teacher of a local madrasah was killed and 50 others were injured in a clash between two groups of villagers over 'establishing supremacy' at Haripur in Jointapur upazila of Sylhet district.
The deceased was identified as Saleh Ahmed, son of Sifat Ali of Hemu Bhatpara village in the upazila. He was a teacher of Mejortila Tahfizul Quran Madrasha in Sylhet city.
The clash broke out between a group loyal to Abdur Rashid, former chairman of Fatehpur union and resident of Lama Shyampur village, and the residents of Haudpara village around midnight on Sunday, and continued till 7am on Monday.
Also read: 20 hurt as RMG worker clash with police in Chattogram
Lutfur Rahman, additional superintendent of Sylhet Police, said the two groups had been at loggerheads for long over establishing control of the area, that would give them access to various illegal rents and extortion opportunities.
On Sunday, tension escalated among the two groups over the issue, mostly the residents of Hadpara and Shaympur villages.
They at one point gathered at Haripur Bazar and hurled brickbats at each other, triggering a clash.
Around 7 am, some madrasah people along with police rushed to the spot to bring the situation under control.
Also read: Man shot dead in Munshiganj clash
Police fired tear gas shells to disperse them. Saleh was injured by a tear gas shell. He later died.
Additional police have been deployed in the area to maintain law and order situation.
Indefinite bus strike in Sylhet from Tuesday
Sylhet District Bus-Minibus-Coach-Microbus workers union has decided to enforce an indefinite strike in the district from Tuesday morning to press home their four-point demand including granting bail to drivers in cases filed over road crashes.
The association announced the strike at an emergency meeting on Monday, said joint secretary of District Bus-Minibus-Coach-Microbus workers union, Ali Akbar.
Also read: Sher-e-Bangla nurses go on strike over police attack on colleague
No workers will join their work from 6 am on Tuesday as part of the strike.
The three other demands of the union are cancelling dope test while issuing new driving license, providing new licenses and renew those in a short period of time and giving permission for parking vehicles on the khas land of the government and stop filing cases for wrong parking.
During the meeting, held on Saturday, the union leaders said they have gave an ultimatum till March 20 to meet their demand but the local administration did not take any steps to fulfill their demands. As a result, they decided to go for strike.
Also read: Faction of petrol pump owners threatens strike from Feb 17
They also threatened to go for tougher movement if their demands go unheeded.
One killed in fight between football fans in Sylhet; two critically injured
One youth died, and two others were critically injured after a fight broke out between football fans during a match in Sylhet's Golapganj municipality Friday evening.
The incident took place at Nurupara Rangai Bichra ground of ward-9.
The youth, identified as 26-year-old Tariq Ahmed, was from ward-7 of the Ronkeli Nayagram area of the municipality.
The other two people who were seriously injured are Abu Sufian, 20, and Parvez Ahmed, 21, of the same area.
A fight between the supporters of Nayagram and Nurupara took place during a match organised by Ronkeli Tiger Club.
"Hearing the news, police immediately rushed to the spot. Three people, including Tariq, were seriously injured in the clash," Harunur Rashid Chowdhury, officer-in-charge of Golapganj Police Station, said.
"As locals rushed them to North East Medical College and Hospital, Tariq died of injuries sustained in the clash between rival fans. Others are undergoing treatment at the hospital."
Man beaten to death over land dispute in Sylhet
A man was beaten to death by his neighbours in Sylhet’s South Surma upazila over a land dispute on Friday, police said.
Deceased Shahabuddin Ahmed Sabul, 45, was an autorickshaw driver and son of Abdul Hamid Akhan Miah of Kuchai Purbapara village of Moglabazar of the upazila.
Five people- Kamrul, Badrul, Malai, Munni and Fahima have been arrested after the incident, police sources said.
READ: Woman suffocates child to death in Sylhet, surrenders
According to the police Badrul, Malai, Nazrul and Fakhrul, sons of neighbour Moina Miah, had a dispute with Sabul over land.
On Friday morning, Sabul went to cut down a tree in front of his house when Badrul and his brothers had a quarrel. At one point they started beating him.
Seriously injured Sabul was rushed to Osmani Hospital where on-duty doctor declared him dead.
Shefali Begum, wife of the deceased, said, "My husband was cutting down a tree that he had planted yet they beat him to death.”
Officer-in-charge (OC) of Moglabazar Police Station Shamsuddoha said, five people have been arrested over the incident. Police recoved two machetes, iron rods and an axe were from the spot.
The body was sent to the morgue of Osmani Hospital for autopsy, he said.
Momen accuses BNP of destroying caretaker government system for lust of power
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on Tuesday said BNP is responsible for destroying the caretaker government system and there is now no scope to restore it.
“BNP has destroyed the caretaker government system and they tried to come to power forcibly. There is no scope to come to power through the backdoor,” he told reporters after inaugurating a cath lab at Mount Adora Hospital in Sylhet.
Read: BNP-Jamaat hired lobbyists to stop US development assistance to Bangladesh: Momen
Momen said BNP was formed in a democratic way, while Awami League, being a democratic party, has established and consolidated democracy in the country.
If the BNP wants to come to power it has to come through the election process, he said.
The minister also hoped that a transparent Election Commission will be formed to hold a free and fair election.
Noting that many countries don’t have election commission, Momen said Bangladesh has such a body to make voting free and transparent.
Govt to spend Tk. 226 crore to expand irrigation facilities in Sylhet to boost production
The government has taken a Tk 226-crore project to expand the irrigation facilities during Boro season in the Sylhet region, Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzaque said on Tuesday.
He said this while talking to reporters at Sylhet Circuit House after a visit to the agricultural tools factory in Sylhet.
“We are giving importance to rice production to meet growing demand,” he said adding that fallow lands will be brought under cultivation.
Read: Rice price is increasing beyond control despite having highest stock: Razzaque
The minister said the government is working to bring a revolutionary change in agriculture in Sylhet.
There are 12.50 lakh hectares of land in Sylhet, Sunamganj, Habiganj and Moulvibazar and of these, 7.63 lakh hectares are cultivable land, he said.
Turning to politics he hailed the efforts of the Search Committee formed to suggest names to the president for choosing a chief election commissioner and four other commissioners.
Razzak said that the committee has got more than enough names to suggest for a strong election commission.
Read: Fertiliser price manipulators face legal action: Razzaque
“Though BNP did not submit any names, it will be possible to form a strong commission with the names available with the search committee” he said.
“I hope the search committee will submit the list of the names of eligible people and we’ll get a strong Election Commission which will give a free and fair election as per the expectation of the nation and admired in the globe,” he said.
BNP is harming itself by boycotting elections. This was they are also harming the nation as there is no alternative to discussion and dialogue, said Razzaque, who is also a presidium member of Awami League.
Dipu Moni hints at reopening of educational institutions soon
Education Minister Dipu Moni on Friday hinted at the possibility of reopening educational institutions following the downtrend of covid cases in the country.
"The positivity rate is decreasing day by day and, hopefully, all the educational institutions will be reopened soon," she said at a view exchange programme with the leaders of Sylhet district and city unit of Awami League at Sylhet Circuit House.
Read: Dipu Moni in Sylhet to diffuse SUST crisis
Meanwhile, the minister said the government is making every effort to solve the problems of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST). "In this case, students have rights as well as responsibilities. All problems can be solved through discussion."
She added that issues like SUST's occur in almost all public universities.
The education minister also remarked that initiatives are being taken to solve the problems of all public universities through national initiatives.
Read: Dipu Moni to visit SUST Friday as protests resume
Apart from Dipu Moni, Deputy Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel and Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmed are slated to hold meetings with the students, teachers and different SUST organisations between 4pm and 7pm.
Earlier, a three-member ministerial team, led by Education Minister Dipu Moni, arrived in Sylhet Friday morning to hold talks with the protesting students of SUST.