United News of Bangladesh

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-6 have arrested one of the key suspects in the brutal killing of four people in Narail following a violent clash over local dominance. The arrestee, Rony Shikder, was detained on Monday afternoon from the Tarapur Shikder Bari area of Narail Sadar upazila, hours after the incident, RAB sources said. He is the son of Amin Shikder of the area. BNP leader’s house torched in Narail RAB said Rony is being interrogated and efforts are underway to arrest other suspects involved in the killings. The incident took place around 5:30am on Monday at Borkula village under Singasholpur Union of Narail Sadar upazila, where rival groups clashed over control of the area, turning the village into a battleground. Four people, including a father and his son, were killed and at least 10-12 others were injured in the clash. Several houses were also attacked and vandalised. According to local sources, the violence stemmed from long-standing political rivalry within the BNP at the local level, often described as a conflict between “old” and “new” factions, triggered by a shift in political alignment of former Singasholpur Union chairman Khayer Mollah and a renewed struggle for control of the area. Father, son among 4 killed in Narail clash After the change in the political situation following August 5, supporters of Khayer Mollah reportedly began returning to the area, intensifying tensions with the rival Khalil Mollah group. During the clash, members of the Khalil group, including Khalil Rahman, his son Tahajjud Hossain, Ferdous Hossain, and  member of the Khayer group, Osibur Mia, was killed in retaliatory violence. Following the killings, law enforcement agencies launched operations to arrest those responsible. Acting on a tip-off, RAB-6 conducted the operation that led to the arrest of Rony Shikder. Police said additional forces have been deployed in the area to maintain law and order as the situation remains tense.

Prices of most vegetables and fruits have increased sharply in Lalmonirhat at the very beginning of the month of Ramadan, despite it being the peak season for many produce items. A visit to different kitchen markets in Lalmonirhat town on Sunday showed that green chilli was selling at Tk 130 to Tk 170 per kilogram, up from Tk 70 to Tk 90 three days before Ramadan. Cucumber prices have nearly doubled. Before Ramadan, cucumbers were selling at Tk 35 to Tk 40 per kg, but are now priced at Tk 60 while another local variety (khira) has jumped from Tk 30–40 to Tk 80 per kg. Quilt makers race against time as bone-chilling cold grips Lalmonirhat The price of eggplant has increased by Tk 20 to Tk 30 per kg. Previously available at Tk 30 to Tk 40, it is now being sold at Tk 70 per kg. Tomato prices, which were below Tk 40 before Ramadan and rose to Tk 80 at the beginning of the month, have slightly declined to Tk 60 per kg. Although bottle gourd, cabbage and cauliflower are still selling below Tk 30, overall market instability persists. Banana prices have risen abnormally with the start of Ramadan. Good quality bananas that previously sold at Tk 30 to Tk 40 per four-piece bunch are now being sold at Tk 60 to Tk 70. Rezaul Karim, a resident of the Tushbhandar market area, said bananas are a daily necessity in his household and are especially important during Ramadan for iftar. “Even at higher prices, we are compelled to buy. Not only bananas, almost all fruits have become expensive,” he said. Despite ample supply, winter vegetables costly in Lalmonirhat

A man was killed in a lynch-mob attack on suspicion of theft at Postogola cremation ground area inside a new project site of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) on early Monday. The deceased was identified as Abdur Rahim, 35. Rahim was taken to the emergency department around 12:30 am and later admitted to the One Stop Emergency Centre where he died at about 5:30 am while undergoing treatment, said Inspector Md Faruk, in-charge of the police camp at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Biplob, a site engineer of the BIWTA project who brought Rahim to the hospital, said local residents caught him while he was allegedly stealing rods from the project site and beat him up, leaving him critically injured. Md Faruk said the body has been kept at the hospital  morgue.

Four members of a family including a woman and a child were burned when a fire broke out apparently from a gas leak at their rented house in Hazaribagh  area early Monday. The victims are Sheikh Roman, 35, his wife Pinky Akter, 32, their three-year-old son Mayan, and Roman’s brother-in-law Apu, 23. The family was living on the ground floor of a  building at East Rayar Bazar under Hazaribagh. Md Mamun, who brought the victims to National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute, said the fire broke out following an explosion in the house. Local residents rescued the victims and took them to the hospital. Assistant Professor Dr. Shaon Bin Rahman, a resident doctor at the National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute, said Roman suffered burns over 25% of his body, Pinky Akter over 75%, Mayan 24%, and Apu 7%. Hanging body of housewife found in Hazaribagh Two of the victims have been placed in the High Dependency Unit (HDU). All four are in critical condition, he added.

Four people including a man and his  son were killed and seven others were injured in a clash between two groups over establishing  dominance at Borkula village in Narail Sadar upazila on Monday morning. The deceased were Rahman Khalil and his son Tahajjud Hossain, Ferdous Hossain from Khalil group, and Osibur Mia from ex-chairman Khayer group. Oli Mia, Officer-in-Charge of Narail Sadar Police Station said the two groups, linked to former union chairman Khayer and Khalil, had a long-standing dispute. The supporters of the two groups attacked each other with homemade weapons around 5:30 am, leaving Rahman Khalil, Tahajjud  and Ferdous dead on the spot. BNP leader’s house torched in Narail Osibur Mia was taken to Narail District Hospital in critical condition where he died. Extra forces were deployed to control the situation and legal action will be taken, he said.

A local leader of Jubo Dal, BNP’s youth wing, was stabbed allegedly by some Awami League supporters near a mosque at Iswarchandrapur village in Darshana upazila on Sunday night. The injured is Ripon Hossain, 45, a leader of Darshana Municipality unit of Jubo Dal and son of late Mannan of Iswarchandrapur village of the municipality. The victim’s family has accused several Awami League supporters in the area of carrying out the assault. Locals rescued Ripon in a blood-soaked condition and first admitted him to Chuadanga Sadar Hospital. As his condition deteriorated, he was taken to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. Mohammad Habibur Rahman Bullet, chief coordinator of Darshana BNP, strongly condemned the attack and  demanded the immediate arrest and punishment of the accused. BNP and its allied organisations staged a protest in Darsana town after Taraweeh prayers, calling for justice. Ripon’s brother filed a case at Darshana Police Station on Sunday night. The case cited prior enmity as the motive and identified the suspects as Awami League supporters. BNP leaders and the victim’s family said political tensions  escalated in the area centering the national election. The accused, Awami League activists  Hasem, 56, and Khairul Kamri, 45, supported candidates from Jamaat-e-Islami which earlier led to verbal disputes with Ripon. The alleged attackers could not be reached for comment. Dr. Sohran Hossain of Chuadanga Sadar Hospital, said Ripon suffered deep cuts in multiple parts of his body from sharp weapons. After first aid, he was transferred to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital for specialised treatment. Darshana Police Inspector (Investigation) Himel Rana said several police teams are conducting drives to arrest the accused. Following the attack, tension has risen in the area and police have stepped up patrols to maintain law and order, he said.

A 16-year-old school student was injured in an attack by some muggers in Mohammadpur area in the capital on Sunday night. Witnesses said Sohan, a 10th grader of Turag International School, was attacked around 9 pm on Number Two Road of Nabingar Housing while trying to stop a snatching bid. He was rescued and taken to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital around 11:30 pm. Sohan’s father, Jamal Hossain, said his son and a friend were passing through Nabingar Housing when some snatchers tried to grab a mobile phone from his friend. Sohan dropped the phone and ran to save his friend but the robbers stabbed him below both knees, he said. Inspector Md Faruk, in-charge of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital police camp, said injured boy was brought to the hospital from Mohammadpur area. “The family told us that muggers had attacked him. We have informed Mohammadpur police station,” he said.

At least nine people including three children were injured in a gas cylinder explosion at a residential building in Halishahar area of Chattogram city early Monday. Eight of the injured were identified as Shipon, 30, Sumon, 40, Shawon, 17, Anas, 7, Iman, 9, Shakhawat, 46, Ayesha, 4, and Pakhi, 35. Assistant Director of Fire Service and Civil Defence Md Jasim Uddin said the explosion occurred around 5:45am on the third floor of the six-storey building in front of Abahani Club ground. 4 of a family burned in Hazaribagh ‘gas leak’ fire The explosion triggered a fire in the building, leaving the nine people injured. On information, two firefighting units rushed to the scene but locals managed to douse the flames before their arrival, he said. The victims were rushed to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) .

At least eight leaders and activists of Birulia Union unit of Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal were injured in a clash during an alleged attempt to seize control of a garment factory in Savar on Sunday. The injured were given treatment at a local clinic. According to allegations, for the past five to six days, leaders and activists of the union Chhatra Dal had been gathering in the Jinjira area of Birulia Union with motorcycles, allegedly in preparation to take control of the jhut (scrap cloth) business of Titas Garment and Epic Garments Factory. On Sunday afternoon, when Chhatra Dal activists allegedly tried to seize Titas Garment in Jinjira, local residents resisted. A clash later broke out between the two sides, leaving several people injured. Among the injured are Birulia Union Chhatra Dal President Tuhin Ahmed, General Secretary Sabbir Hossain, Ward No. 1 President Shamsul Alam and Union Committee Member Billal Hossain. Arman Ali, Officer-in-Charge of Savar Model Police Station, said police visited the scene after receiving information about the incident. Local resident Shahidul Amin Nayan claimed that the union Chhatra Dal president and general secretary had been moving around the area with 20 to 22 motorcycles over the past few days. He alleged that they are followers of Abu Sayeed, president of the local Krishak Dal unit. Contacted over the phone, Abu Sayeed said he is currently in Cox’s Bazar and is unaware of the matter. Repeated attempts to contact Tuhin Ahmed and Sabbir Hossain were unsuccessful, as they disconnected calls after identifying the callers as journalists. Administrative in-charge of Epic Factory Shafiqul Quader Munna said Chhatra Dal activists had visited their factory but no trouble occurred there. He added that he heard the clash took place at Titas Garment. Attempts to reach officials of Titas Garment for comment were unsuccessful.  

Two factions of the Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chatra Dal (JCD) clashed repeatedly at Gopalganj Science and Technology University (GSTU) on Sunday over the appointment of a new proctor, leaving two leaders injured. The confrontation began around 4:30 p.m. in front of the university’s administrative building. Both factions remain positioned on campus, with one group staging a sit-in outside the administration office and the other staying inside the building, creating a tense atmosphere. The unrest followed the removal of Proctor Dr. Arifuzzaman Rajib and the appointment of Dr. Ahsan Sourav, a teacher in the Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine (ASVM) department, as the new proctor. Eyewitnesses said the conflict erupted when one faction protested the proctor change, leading to arguments and eventually clashes with the opposing group. Chases and scuffles spread across the administrative area and surrounding grounds. Two student leaders, Joint Vice President Zahidul Islam Zahir and Publicity Secretary Nahidur Rahman Sakib of JCD’s GSTU wing — were injured during the fights. Sakib, who was seriously hurt, was taken to Gopalganj Sadar Hospital by ambulance. Shafiqul Islam, joint general secretary of the student wing, claimed that Zahid disrespected the chair of the Public Administration Department during an ASVM student movement, and when confronted, Zahid attacked Sakib along with several others. Zahidul Islam Zahir, however, alleged that the clash started from a misunderstanding when he was pushed while entering Anwar’s room, and Sakib then attacked him, followed by an assault by a group of students. GSTU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Hossain Uddin Shekhar said efforts are underway to resolve the situation and restore normalcy on campus as soon as possible.