United News of Bangladesh

Border residents in Panchagarh detained an Indian national on Saturday in what they said was a retaliatory act following the alleged abduction of a 78-year-old Bangladeshi man by members of India’s Border Security Force (BSF). The Indian national was identified as Dipankar Gop, 35, of the Rajganj area in India's Jalpaiguri district. A flag meeting between company commanders of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and BSF was held over the spike in tensions, but no resolution was reached. According to locals, Gop was detained Saturday morning after he entered a sugarcane field on the Bangladeshi side near Sub-Pillar No. 12 of Main Pillar No. 742 at the Birajot border in Satmara Union of Sadar Upazila.  Locals alleged that Bangladeshi farmer Tamiz Uddin had gone to the Birajot border area on Wednesday morning (Aug. 5) to search for his missing cow. He was later allegedly picked up by members of BSF from the Chaulhati camp. In retaliation, locals detained Gop after he allegedly entered Bangladesh from the Indian side while working at a tea garden near the border. The border residents claimed that Gop was caught after attempting to enter a Bangladeshi village and crossing an embankment. They also said Gop would be handed over to the Indian authorities if reciprocated byTamiz Uddin's return to Bangladesh.

A student of Kushtia Polytechnic Institute died after slipping and coming into contact with an electrified gate while washing his hands at a wedding reception in the district on Saturday. The deceased was identified as Gopi Biswas, 21, younger son of Gautam Biswas of Islampur village under Janipur Union. He was a seventh-semester student of the Mechanical Department of Kushtia Polytechnic Institute. The incident occurred at a wedding reception in Islampur village around 4:30pm. According to family members, Gopi had returned home from his hostel during an exam break to attend the wedding reception of his childhood friend Nishit. After eating at the reception, he went to wash his hands when he slipped and fell against an electric gate, receiving an electric shock. Locals rescued him and took him to the emergency department of the Upazila Health Complex, where the doctor on duty declared him dead. Dr Anwar, the duty doctor, said Gopi was brought to the hospital dead.

The district administration has formed a five-member committee to investigate Friday’s head-on collision between two buses on the Sylhet-Dhaka highway in Osmaninagar that left nine people dead. Additional District Magistrate Pinki Saha has been made head of the committee, the Sylhet district administration confirmed on Saturday. The committee has been asked to identify the actual cause of the accident and submit a detailed report within five working days. Representatives from the Highway Police, Fire Service and Civil Defence, Roads and Highways Department and the Osmaninagar Upazila Nirbahi Officer’s (UNO) office are among the committee members. Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Abdullah Al Mamun said the accident occurred between buses of Unique and Bengal Paribahan in the Kashikapur area of Osmaninagar upazila on Friday morning. Seven people died on the spot, while two others, including a child, died while undergoing treatment at hospital. Sixteen people were injured in the accident and are receiving treatment, he said. Soon after the accident, the deputy commissioner and other senior officials visited Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital to see the injured. The district administration provided Tk 10,000 as immediate assistance to each injured person and Tk 20,000 to each family of the deceased for burial expenses. It also provided Tk 15,000 to an ICU patient. The deputy commissioner said the highway was relatively empty when the accident occurred. Although reckless driving or driver fatigue was initially suspected as a possible cause, the actual cause will be known after the investigation report is submitted, he said. Meanwhile, Expatriates’ Welfare and Foreign Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury visited the injured at the hospital on Saturday morning and announced financial assistance for the victims. He announced that Tk 5 lakh would be provided to each family of the deceased, Tk 3 lakh to each person who became disabled and Tk 1 lakh to each injured person. Separately, the registration of the two buses involved in the accident has been cancelled, said Engineer Abdur Rashid, assistant director of the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) in Sylhet, on Saturday evening. The concerned drivers and owners of the two buses have also been asked to appear before the BRTA within five days to explain their positions. “For now, the registration of the two buses involved in the accident has been cancelled. An explanation has also been sought from the drivers and owners. Further action will be taken after receiving their explanations,” he said.  

A devastating fire in the busy Borobazar commercial area of Netrokona town destroyed five business establishments and three houses on Friday night, before 8 Fire Service units brought the flames under control after a 90-minute struggle. The blaze broke out on Friday around 9.27 pm in the town's most densely populated commercial hub, prompting affected families and business owners to demand immediate rehabilitation. While preliminary reports suggest significant damage, victims asserted that the total financial loss could range between Tk 4 crore and Tk 5 crore. Khandaker Mushfiqur Rahman, Netrokona Deputy Commissioner (DC) and District Magistrate, visited the scene to inspect the damage and speak with the victims on Saturday. According to the DC's media cell, he instructed relevant authorities to ensure a fair assessment of the losses and to provide necessary assistance to those affected. Later, the DC visited Netrokona Sadar Hospital to check on those injured in the fire, including firefighters from the Fire Service and Civil Defence who were hurt during the rescue operation. He discussed their treatment progress with doctors and directed that all necessary medical care be ensured. Md. Tariqul Islam, Netrokona Superintendent of Police (SP), also visited the scene multiple times to oversee the situation. Local authorities, including the district administration, police, and municipality, remain on alert as the removal of damaged goods continues.

A pedestrian and a teenager were killed, and a motorcyclist critically injured in a road accident in Thakurgaon Sadar upazila on Saturday. The accident occurred around noon in the Nengrihat area on the Baliadangi-Thakurgaon road in Rahimanpur union. The deceased were identified as Abul Hossain, 60, son of the late Debaru Mohammad of Rahimanpur union, and Arnab Islam, 13, son of Delawar Hossain of Jiyabari area in Baliadangi upazila. According to locals, a motorcycle was heading towards Thakurgaon from Baliadangi when it hit Abul Hossain as he was crossing the road. He died on the spot. The two people riding the motorcycle were also seriously injured. Locals rescued them and took them to Thakurgaon 250-bed General Hospital, where Arnab died while undergoing treatment. Shahjahan Ali, Thakurgaon Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC), said a case has been filed over the accident.

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Md Shafiqul Islam Khan has said fines will be imposed through mobile courts if dengue larva is found at any residential building or establishment within the DNCC area. He also said 10 magistrates have already joined the DNCC for implementing the measure and will begin operations soon. The administrator made the remarks while responding to a question from journalists after inaugurating a special cleanliness drive and rally at Nawab Habibullah Model School and College in the city's Uttara on Saturday. He said legal action would also be taken against those who deliberately dump waste in front of their houses or establishments. Highlighting the DNCC's ongoing efforts to control dengue and mosquitoes, Shafiqul Islam Khan said such activities are being conducted every week through schools and colleges and will continue. He sought cooperation from citizens, alongside DNCC cleaning workers, to keep Dhaka clean and green. The DNCC Administrator urged every neighbourhood and educational institution to extend support to the cleanliness campaign. He also called on city residents to dispose of tissues and small water containers they carry while on the move at designated places. “With the cooperation of city residents, there will be no tissues or scattered waste along roadsides, and it will be possible to build a beautiful city,” he said. The administrator said a seminar on waste management was organised at the DNCC on July 15 last month, attended by various DNCC stakeholders, owners’ associations of different societies, the minister and state minister of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, secretaries of different departments, the police commissioner and other concerned officials. He said the seminar was organised as part of an initiative to raise awareness among all concerned. He also said a programme was held at a school on July 28 last month, and today’s special cleanliness drive and rally was formally inaugurated as a continuation of that initiative. Speaking as a special guest, Dhaka-18 constituency MP SM Jahangir Hossain urged everyone to cooperate with the DNCC’s cleanliness campaign. Senior DNCC officials  were present at the programme.

A young man was killed allegedly in an attack over a land dispute in Habiganj on Friday night. The deceased was identified as Sohag Mia, 30, from Sundarpur village of Chunarughat upazila. According to locals and police, Sohag had been involved in a longstanding dispute with his uncle Khalil Mia over land, and the dispute had also led to legal proceedings. 3 killed, two injured in three-way motorcycle crash in Habiganj Around 9:30pm Friday, Sohag was returning home from Sundarpur Bazar when a group of people allegedly attacked him on the road. The attackers reportedly hacked him indiscriminately, leaving him critically injured. Locals rescued Sohag and initially took him to Chunarughat Upazila Health Complex. He was later being taken to Habiganj Sadar Adhunik Hospital when he died on the way. On receiving the information, police recovered the body and sent it to the morgue for autopsy. Chunarughat Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Saiful Islam said ``police are investigating the incident. Details will be known after the investigation,” the OC said, adding that a drive was underway to arrest those involved in the killing.

Heavy rainfall has left the historic Shilaidaha Kuthibari, the ancestral estate associated with Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, waterlogged, raising concerns among people. Located around 800 metres west of the Padma River in Kumarkhali upazila of Kushtia, Shilaidaha Kuthibari is closely associated with some of Tagore’s most celebrated literary works. Tagore wrote numerous poems, songs, plays and short stories there. Many of the works included in his Nobel Prize-winning collection Gitanjali were also written at the estate. The site attracts thousands of visitors from home and abroad every day. However, several days of continuous heavy rain have submerged much of the compound, including the main entrance, open-air stage, murals, museum courtyard and flower and fruit gardens. Local visitors and tourists expressed frustration over the situation and urged the authorities to drain the water quickly and restore the site’s natural beauty. During a recent visit, the main gate and the open-air stage of the site were submerged by the rain water. The stage could no longer be used for poetry recitations or gatherings. Water had also accumulated around the mural and inside the museum courtyard. Several trees in the gardens were bent under the water, while some appeared at risk of being uprooted. Visitors were largely confined to paved walkways and were unable to fully enjoy the surroundings. Habib Khan, who came from Pangsha in Rajbari district, said he had long dreamed of visiting Tagore’s home. “I came from so far away only to find the entire area flooded. There is hardly a dry place even to take photographs. It is very disappointing,” he said. Nahid Khan, who visited the site with a group of 40 students from Rajshahi, said they had planned to recite poems at the open-air stage and take photographs in the mango garden. “But the areas are also underwater. The authorities should take immediate action,” he said. Ishtiaq Ahmed, a private-sector employee who visited the site with his family from Kushtia town, said he felt embarrassed after bringing guests to the waterlogged premises. “This is a historic heritage site. Such a condition is unacceptable. There should be a properly planned drainage system here,” he said. Another visitor, Ashraful Islam, said Shilaidaha Kuthibari was not merely a tourist attraction but a national heritage site. “The same situation occurs every year during the rainy season. When will there be a permanent solution?” he asked. ATM Fariduzzaman, who came from Tangail, said the natural surroundings had inspired Tagore’s writings. “It is painful to see water from nature now threatening the place that preserves his memory,” he said. Kuthibari employees are also facing difficulties because of the waterlogging. A damp smell has developed inside and outside the museum, while several trees have been damaged by prolonged waterlogging. Sakib Hossain, an employee of the Kuthibari, said many flowering and fruit-bearing trees in the gardens were at risk of dying. He said the Padma River is around 800 metres east of the Kuthibari and that rainwater previously drained toward the river through a narrow canal beside the road. “The canal has gradually become unusable because of encroachment and pollution. That is why the Kuthibari is facing this situation,” he said. Al Amin, custodian of Shilaidaha Rabindra Kuthibari, said visitors were suffering because of the waterlogging. “We do not have our own drainage system. Previously, water from the Kuthibari used to drain into a nearby bill. But this year, due to heavy rainfall, water from the bill is flowing into the Kuthibari instead,” he said. He said the matter had already been brought to the attention of the local administration and urged immediate measures to drain the water. “Otherwise, the infrastructure and valuable archaeological objects of the Kuthibari could be damaged,” he warned. Assistant Commissioner (Land) of the upazila Navid Sarwar said the authorities would visit the site soon and take necessary measures to address the problem.

Prolonged rainfall and persistent waterlogging have caused extensive damage to Aush paddy in large areas of Narail district, leaving hundreds of farmers facing heavy financial losses. Local farmers blamed the situation on blocked natural drainage routes, unplanned fish enclosures and the filling up of canals and drainage channels due to poor maintenance. They fear the total financial losses from the crop damage will run into several crores of taka. During a visit to several low-lying areas, including Amadar, Andharkota and Kuchiabari bills in Lohagara upazila, fields were found submerged under chest-deep water. Instead of ripening paddy, the fields were covered with water lilies and other aquatic weeds, while groups of ducks were seen roaming through the waterlogged farmland. Affected farmers said the low-lying lands are particularly suitable for the local water-tolerant variety of Aush paddy known as “Ratul Aush.” The variety can grow rapidly as water levels rise. Farmers had expanded cultivation of the variety this year after obtaining good yields and prices in previous years amid moderate rainfall. Apart from Lakshmipasha, Ratul Aush was cultivated in more than 50 bills across different unions of the district, including Bangram, Naldhi, Kotakol, Kalabaria, Baiashona, Pohardanga, Khashial, Maijpara and Sekhati. However, record rainfall that began in mid-July suddenly inundated the low-lying farmland. Farmers said water remained trapped for a prolonged period because unplanned fish enclosures blocked drainage routes, eventually causing the submerged paddy plants to rot. The farmers demanded immediate removal of illegal fish enclosures, restoration of blocked canals and drains and re-excavation of connecting canals linked to rivers to improve water drainage. This year, some 9,107 hectares of land have been brought under Aush paddy cultivation, according to the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) in Narail. Although officials have estimated the crop damage to be limited, farmers strongly disputed the assessment. They said some paddy in relatively higher areas survived, but most of the crops in low-lying areas had rotted, resulting in losses worth several crores of taka. Muhammad Arifur Rahman, deputy director of the Narail Department of Agricultural Extension, said the agriculture department was coordinating with other relevant government agencies to restore drainage systems and recover canals that have been filled in or disappeared. “Permanent waterlogging in the low-lying water body areas has become a major threat to agricultural activities,” he said.

Three cattle traders were killed and three others injured in a collision between a bus and a cattle-laden human hauler on the Bonpara-Hatikumrul Highway at Nayabazar in Gurudaspur upazila of Natore district on Saturday. The deceased were identified as Abdur Rahman, Akkas Ali and his elder brother Jahangir Alam, of Baraigram upazila. The accident occurred around 10:30 am when a Rajshahi-bound bus hit the cattle-laden human hauler coming from Baraigram, leaving one cattle trader dead on the spot and five others injured, said Md Maniruzzaman, officer-in-charge of Baraigram Police Station. The injured were taken to Baraigram Upazila Health Complex, from where they were shifted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. Two more victims died after being admitted to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.