United News of Bangladesh

An Awami League leader sustained critical bullet injuries after being shot by miscreants in Mirpur upazila of Kushtia on Sunday evening. The injured, 52-year-old Shafiqul Islam Azam, is a former general secretary of Amla Union Awami League and son of late Abul Mandal of Bil Amla village. The incident took place around 7 pm at Sadarpur Bazar in Amla Union. Police said Shafiqul was at his business establishment when a group of people called him outside. Shortly afterwards, he was shot and the attackers fled the scene. Locals rescued him in a critical condition and took him to Kushtia General Hospital. Resident Medical Officer (RMO) Dr Hossain Imam said Shafiqul sustained bullet injuries to his right eye, left jaw and upper abdomen. “The abdominal injury has likely damaged blood vessels, causing heavy bleeding. His condition is critical,” he said, adding that he has been referred to Dhaka for advanced treatment. Police recovered three rounds of live bullets, a magazine and a motorcycle from the scene. Assistant Superintendent of Police (Mirpur Circle) Muhammad Mahmudul Haque Majumder said an investigation is underway.

Authorities have opened a dedicated isolation centre in Sylhet as measles infections continue to rise, with dozens of patients admitted in recent days. The 4th unit of Sylhet Shaheed Shamsuddin Ahmed Hospital has been designated as an isolation facility to treat measles patients, hospital sources said. Since the facility began operations on March 26, a total of 30 patients have been admitted over the past three days, with 16 currently undergoing treatment. According to hospital officials, 14 patients have already been discharged, while three new patients were admitted on Sunday. Resident Medical Officer Dr Md Mizanur Rahman said many of the patients are suffering from complications, including pneumonia. Among those admitted are two siblings aged 20 and 22, while the rest are children. A parent, Sabbir Ahmed from the city’s Madina Market area, said his one-and-a-half-year-old daughter was admitted with fever, cough and diarrhoea and was later diagnosed with measles. He said she had received the first dose of the measles vaccine at nine months but had not yet taken the second dose scheduled at 15 months. Deputy Director of Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital Mahbubur Rahman said patients were initially treated in isolated arrangements within the hospital, but the growing number of cases prompted authorities to shift them to a separate facility. Deputy Civil Surgeon Dr Janmejoy Dutta said the situation is being closely monitored, with regular supervision at the isolation centre. Patients from Sylhet city, district and across the division are receiving treatment there. Health officials stressed that as measles is highly contagious, isolating patients remains a key step in containing the spread.

Concern is growing in Sylhet as measles infections increase, with at least 12 children currently receiving treatment at hospitals across the district. Health officials said a rising number of children are being admitted daily with symptoms of the highly contagious disease. Deputy Civil Surgeon Dr Janmejoy Dutta said on Sunday that some of the affected children are below nine months of age, including infants as young as five to six months, who are not yet eligible for vaccination. In some cases, children have been infected despite receiving the vaccine. He said the health department has launched a special investigation to determine the reasons behind such infections. Dr Dutta noted that there had been some disruption in measles vaccine supply last year, although there is currently no shortage of the measles-rubella (MR) vaccine. Measles is a highly infectious viral disease that spreads through the air, particularly affecting children. Initial symptoms include fever, cold and cough, followed by a rash that spreads across the body within a few days. While the disease usually subsides within two weeks, complications may develop during the second week. Doctors said many affected children develop complications such as pneumonia, diarrhoea, eye infections and electrolyte imbalance. In rare cases, it can lead to kidney or heart failure, encephalitis and seizures. In Bangladesh, the MR vaccine is administered in two doses the first at nine months and the second at 15 months which generally provides strong immunity. However, immunity takes time to develop, and children under nine months remain the most vulnerable. Health officials said several of the infected children had recently travelled or visited crowded places, which may have contributed to the rapid spread. Children who missed vaccination are at higher risk, while preventing infection among those not yet eligible for vaccines remains a major challenge. The Sylhet health department is preparing to launch a special MR vaccination campaign targeting children aged between nine months and five years, particularly in areas with high dropout rates. Sources said the campaign is expected to begin soon, and the age range may be extended if necessary to ensure wider coverage. Health experts advised parents to keep infected children away from crowded places, ensure proper nutrition, hydration and rest, and seek medical care if complications arise. They also stressed isolating infected children and completing vaccination on time. With pressure mounting on hospitals, officials emphasised that timely vaccination and isolation remain the most effective measures to control the outbreak.

At least four people were injured when a train hit a private car at a level crossing in Khulna city on Sunday. Three of the injured were identified as driver Omi, 25, Sami, 25 and Aymun Dipu, 22 of Shiromoni Paschimpara while the identity of another could not be known immediately. The accident occurred around 4:45pm in the Afil Gate area when the Khulna-bound ‘Sundarban Express’ train hit the private car carrying four people, leaving them injured, said Hawladar Sanwar Hossain Masum, officer-in-charge of Khan Jahan Ali Police Station. The accident occurred when the victims were returning home to the Shiromoni area by private car after cricket practice in Moshiali. The impact left the car badly mangled and threw it about 20 yards off the railway track to the western side. Among the injured, Omi and Sami are undergoing treatments at a private hospital in the city, while Aymun Dipu and another victim received primary treatment and returned home.

Tanker workers in eight northern districts began an indefinite strike on Sunday morning to protest the imprisonment and fines imposed on three of their colleagues in Nilphamari. Due to the strike, no diesel, petrol or octane was lifted from the Railway Head Oil Depot in Parbatipur. Leaders of the Rangpur Divisional Tanker Workers Union called the strike, demanding the release of the detained workers within 24 hours and the removal of Nilphamari Nezarat Deputy Collector (NDC) Niaz Bhuiyan. If the situation persists, transport services, including buses and trucks, and the movement of goods may be severely disrupted. However, discussions are underway between the concerned parties to resolve the issue and end the strike. According to sources, the incident occurred on Saturday when a tanker carrying fuel from the Parbatipur Railway Head Depot developed a mechanical fault near the Nilphamari jail gate while on its way to a filling station. A mobile court later arrested filling station manager Ekramul Haque, tanker driver Sri Krishna and his assistant Rifat, accusing them of stealing 13 litres of fuel. They were sentenced to six months in prison and fined Tk 1 lakh by NDC Niaz Bhuiyan. Following the incident, tanker workers launched the strike, halting fuel supply across Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh, Rangpur, Nilphamari, Gaibandha, Kurigram and Lalmonirhat. The Petrol Pump Owners Association has expressed support for the workers’ demands. Ataur Rahman, general secretary of the Rangpur Divisional Tanker Workers Union, said the administration has not yet initiated discussions with them. “The strike will continue until our demands are met. However, no one will be obstructed if they wish to take fuel from the depot,” he said. If the strike continues, there is a risk of a complete halt in both passenger and goods transport across the region due to fuel shortages.  

All filling station in Narail district were shut as the filling station owners called an indefinite strike for Sunday protesting the alleged killing of a pump manager over his refusal to supply fuel to a truck driver. Saiful Islam Hitru, joint convener of Narail Petrol Pump Owners Association, said they have decided to close all ten pumps in the district for Sunday. Earlier in the day, Nahid Sardar, 33, manager of M/s Tanvir Filling and Gas Station in Tularampur union under Sadar upazila, was killed and another worker of the filling station, Jihad Molla 27, injured when a truck hit a motorcycle carrying them near Tularampur rail bridge area while returning to their respective home around 2:00 am following an altercation over fuel selling. The truck driver identified as Sujat Molla of Peroli village arrived at the filling station on the Jashore–Narail highway to refuel and an altercation ensued between Sujat and Nahid as he refused to supply diesel due to its unavailability. The injured Jihad was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment. CCTV footage shows that despite an altercation late Saturday night, the truck driver remained at the filling station. At around 2:10am, Nahid left the pump on a motorcycle with his colleague Jihad after finishing work. The truck was then seen chasing them at high speed immediately after they exited the station. Officer-in-Charge of Tularampur Highway Police Station Sekendar Ali said the body was sent to Narail Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy. Efforts are underway to arrest the accused driver and seize the truck involved in it, said OC.  

A fire gutted valuables at a fish processing factory in Sagorika area of Pahartali in Chattogram port city on Sunday. Witnesses said the fire started around 11:45am at a storage facility of a factory named ‘BD Sea Food Limited’ located at C-Port No. 3 in the city and engulfed it, said deputy director of Fire Service and Civil Defence, Jashim Uddin. On information, eight firefighting units rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control after about one and a half hours of effort. No casualties were reported. However, the exact extent of the damage could not be confirmed yet. Fire Service officials said details will be known after an investigation. The firefighters faced some more challenges as there was a cold storage facility, making it difficult to enter. The intense cold environment and existence gas hampered firefighting efforts to some extent, said Jashim Uddin. Factory manager Neamat Ullah said the extent of damage would be assessed after the fire is fully extinguished.        

The International Crimes Tribunal-2 on Sunday asked the authorities concerned to produce former director general of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) Lt Gen (retd) Sheikh Mamun Khaled and  Lt Gen(retd) Masud Uddin Chowdhury before the tribunal on April 7 for their alleged involvement in crimes against humanity. ICT-2 Judge Nazrul Islam Chowdhury passed the order after hearing a petition filed by the prosecution on March 29. Chief Prosecutor Aminul Islam said the prosecution also sought issuance of a production warrant to ensure their appearance before the tribunal.  Detectives detained former Feni-3 lawmaker Lt Gen (retd) Masud Uddin Chowdhury from  Baridhara area of the capital on March 24 in connection with a case filed with Paltan Police Station on charge of human trafficking. Masud Uddin, a key figure during the army-backed caretaker government, was picked up from his residence at Baridhara DOHS. On March 26, detectives arrested former DG of Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) Lieutenant General (retd) Sheikh Mamun Khaled from the capital’s Mirpur area. Both of them were placed on several days of remand in separate cases.

A young man was  electrocuted allegedly while attempting to steal electric wires at a house at Kalabagan in the capital on Sunday. The identity of the deceased could not be known yet. He was later taken to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College (DMCH) Hospital around 8:00 am in an unconscious state where doctors declared him dead. Kalabagan police station Sub-Inspector (SI) Iqbal Hossain said the young man got entangled in live wires while trying to steal them. The house owner called the national emergency number 999 and police rushed to the scene to rescue him. The body has been sent to the morgue of DMCH for autopsy and legal proceedings are ongoing.

Rescue operations continued for the fifth consecutive day on Sunday after a passenger bus sank in the Padma River near the 3rd ferry ghat at Daulatdia in Gopalganj upazila of Rajbari. Members of various government agencies resumed search and recovery activities around 8:30am. On Saturday, the operations ran from morning until after sunset, during which the pontoon at the 3rd ghat was removed and the area was searched as part of final recovery attempts. Dewan Md. Sohel Rana, In-Charge of Rajbari Fire Service and Civil Defence, said personnel from the fire service, Bangladesh Navy, Coast Guard, and BIWTA are conducting the operations jointly. He could not confirm when the rescue efforts would conclude. Sathi Das, member-secretary of the five-member investigation committee formed by the district administration and Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Goalanda, said no new missing persons have been reported so far. However, following directives from higher authorities, the rescue operation will continue to avoid any doubts, and an official announcement will be made once it is completed.