United News of Bangladesh

At least 70 students fell sick during class hours at a school in Ishwardi upazila of Pabna on Wednesday afternoon, triggering panic among students and teachers. The incident occurred around 2:00pm at Muladuli High School, when students of Class-VI began experiencing illness shortly after their midday break. According to initial information, two students first became unwell after reportedly noticing a strong smell coming from a plastic container found inside the classroom. Housewife killed, 10 injured in BNP factional clash in Pabna Later, more students from the same class began to feel sick one after another. Several students from classes VII and VIII also reportedly fell ill due to panic. School authorities immediately informed the Fire Service, who rushed to the scene and rescued the affected students. They were later admitted to Ishwardi Upazila Health Complex, said its Medical Officer Dr Kaveri Saha. Acting headteacher of Muladuli High School Basna Rani said two students first became ill, followed by symptoms, including dizziness, headache and nausea among many others. She said a plastic container was found in the classroom, which doctors suspected may have contained lice-killing medicine. Several students have since recovered, she added.

An elderly man died following a scuffle reportedly over Tk20 outstanding debt at Aditmari upazila on Wednesday. The victim, Kaiyum Ullah, 75, was a resident of the Nayahat area. Police and witnesses said Kaiyum Ullah had earlier purchased bananas from a local vendor, Majidul Islam, and owed him Tk20. When he went to the market on Wednesday morning, the shopkeeper demanded the due money, which led to an altercation between them. At one stage, the shopkeeper allegedly pushed Kaiyum Ullah during the scuffle. He fell to the ground and became unconscious, they said. Locals rescued him and rushed him to a local hospital, where doctors declared him dead at around 4pm. Nazmul Haque, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Aditmari Police Station, said they had heard that Kaiyum Ullah died of a possible stroke following the scuffle over the money. “The matter will be investigated and necessary legal action will be taken accordingly,” he added.

A madrasa superintendent was allegedly beaten to death over a land dispute in Charmba Union of Lohagara upazila in Chattogram on Wednesday afternoon. Victim Maulana Abul Kashem, was the superintendent of Charmba Jamiul Ulum Madrasa and a resident of Ward No. 6 of Charmba Union. According to police and local sources, Abul Kashem had an argument with an opponent over a long-standing land dispute. At one stage, he was hit with a stick during the clash and sustained serious injuries. He was later rescued by locals and taken to hospital, where the doctor on duty declared him dead. He had injury marks on his head. Mohammad Abdullah, Officer-in-Charge (OC) Lohagara Police Station, said police recovered the body from the hospital after receiving information and sent it for autopsy. He added that one person had been taken into custody on suspicion of involvement, and efforts were underway to arrest others involved in the incident.  

Police have detained a woman on charges of attempting to kill her husband by slitting his throat over a family dispute in the Babupura area of Lalmonirhat municipality on Wednesday afternoon. The accused, Umme Jannat Sathi, 28, is the wife of Hridoy, 32, of the same area. Quoting locals, police said there had been frequent arguments between the couple over family matters. 12 arrested in different cases in Lalmonirhat’s Aditmari As a sequel to this, Sathi allegedly attacked her sleeping husband with a knife around noon, leaving him critically injured with cuts on his throat. Hearing his screams, family members rushed to the spot and rescued Hridoy in a critically injured and bloodied condition. He was first taken to Lalmonirhat Sadar Hospital and later shifted to Rangpur Medical College Hospital for advanced treatment. Saad Ahmed, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Lalmonirhat Sadar Police Station, said police rushed to the spot after being informed and detained the accused. He said the blood-stained knife used in the attack was recovered and the motive behind the attack is under investigation.

A pink-coloured albino buffalo, weighing around 700kg and named “Donald Trump,” has become a major attraction in Narayanganj ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. The animal is being raised at Rabeya Agro Farm in the Paikpara area of Narayanganj city where visitors are arriving daily to catch a glimpse of it. During a recent visit, the buffalo was seen among other sacrificial animals, including cows, goats and sheep, prepared for Eid-ul-Azha. However, the three-and-a-half-year-old albino buffalo stood out due to its pinkish skin and distinctive long hair on the front of its head. Farm owners said they named it ‘Donald Trump’ because its hairstyle resembles that of the US president. Its calm temperament and striking appearance have further boosted its popularity among visitors. According to farm authorities, the buffalo was purchased from a cattle market in Rajshahi shortly after last year’s Eid-ul-Azha and has since been raised with special care. The animal has already been sold to a buyer in Dhaka at Tk 550 per kg live weight and will be delivered before Eid. Farm owner Zia Uddin Mridha said the name was inspired by its hairstyle. “It is an albino buffalo. Such animals are generally calm in nature and do not become aggressive unless provoked,” he said. The buffalo’s unusual appearance and name have turned it into a local sensation, drawing curious visitors of all ages to the farm every day. Milton Mia, a resident of Paikpara, said people from different areas are coming just to see the buffalo. “We also came after hearing about ‘Donald Trump’,” he said. Another visitor, Sultana Akter, said the buffalo looked beautiful and its hair resembled that of the American president. Farm caretaker Kawser Mia said the animal receives special care and is fed twice daily on a strict schedule. Its diet includes corn, soybean, oil cake, wheat bran, sesame cake, rice husk, straw and fresh grass, while regular health care is ensured, he added. Sources at Rabeya Agro Farm said around 200 sacrificial animals have been prepared this year for Eid-ul-Azha, but the pink buffalo remains the main attraction. District Livestock Officer Abdul Mannan said the district’s demand for sacrificial animals this year is around 103,000, while about 113,000 animals have been prepared at 6,535 farms. Asked about the pink buffalo, he said he had also heard about the animal named “Donald Trump” at a local farm.

Low-lying areas in two unions of Haluaghat upazila have been flooded after a section of embankment along the Ghoraghat River collapsed due to onrush of water from hilly areas and continuous rainfall. Gazirvita and Bhubankura unions were inundated as water from the Garo hills rushed into the area since early morning, raising concern among local residents. Officials said the water level of the Ghoraghat River increased rapidly due water flow from hills, submerging farmlands and low-lying settlements in some villages. Many families have started preparing to move to safer locations as water continues to enter residential areas. Faysal Ahmed, Haluaghat Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), said water is entering the locality through Gazirvita and Bhubankura points along the border area. He added that two earthen roads in the affected unions have already been damaged due to the flooding. “All necessary preparations have been taken to deal with the situation,” he said.

A four-tier security arrangement will be taken for the upcoming 199 th Eid-ul-Azha congregation at the historic Sholakia Eidgah in Kishoreganj district. The main congregration of Eid-ul-Azha will begin at 9am at Sholakia Eidgah maidan. The decision was announced at a preparatory meeting held on Wednesday morning at the conference room of the deputy commissioner’s office in Kishoreganj. Representatives from the local administration, law enforcement agencies, Islamic Foundation Bangladesh and the organising committee attended the meeting and discussed overall preparations and security measures for the congregation. Besides, police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Ansar members and volunteers will be deployed to ensure smooth and secure participation of devotees. Security measures will include installation of CCTV cameras in and around the Eidgah ground, construction of watchtowers, frisking at entry points and arrangements for emergency medical services. Following long-standing tradition, the Eid jamaat will begin at 9am with three ceremonial gunshots. This year’s prayers will be led by Mufti Abul Khair Mohammad Saifullah, khatib of the district’s Boro Bazar Jame Mosque. One of the country’s largest Eid congregations, the Sholakia Eid jamaat carries nearly two centuries of tradition and attracts hundreds of thousands of devotees every year.    

Twelve people suffered burn injuries in an explosion apparently from gas leakage at the canteen of a power plant in Sonargaon upazila of Narayanganj district on Wednesday. The victims were Ramijul, 15, Monir Hossain, 45, Badrul Huda, 9, Tuhin sheikh, 30, Suprobhat Ghosh, 42, Osman Goni, 30, Al amin, 30, Nazmul sheikh, 40, Saiful Islam, 30, Shankar, 25, Kawsar, 30 and Amir, 25. The injured were taken to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery. Resident surgeon of the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery Assistant Professor Dr Shaon Bin Rahman said the explosion occurred around 1:45 pm at the canteen of the power plant near Meghna ghat, leaving 12 people injured.

Two people were killed and two others injured when a truck hit an auto-rickshaw on Dhaka-Mawa highway at Teghoria of South Keraniganj in Dhaka early Wednesday. The identities of the deceased could not be known immediately. Saiful Alam, officer-in-charge of South Keraniganj Police Station, said the accident occurred around 1 am near Mehera Petrol Pump when the truck hit the auto-rickshaw, leaving two people dead on the spot and two others injured. The injured were taken to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.

A rise in criminal cases in Cumilla during April has triggered concern among residents and officials, with murder, rape, theft and violence against women showing an upward trend in the district. According to data presented at the monthly district law and order committee meeting, a total of 584 cases were filed in April across different categories of crime, up from 517 cases in March — an increase of 67 cases within a month. The statistics were disclosed at a meeting held recently at the conference room of the Deputy Commissioner’s office, chaired by Deputy Commissioner Md Reza Hasan. Officials said the increase in cases could indicate both a rise in criminal activities and stronger enforcement measures by law enforcement agencies. However, they expressed particular concern over the growing number of incidents involving theft, snatching and rape in different upazilas, including areas under the city corporation. According to the district law and order committee’s report, 10 murder cases and 20 rape cases were filed in April. In addition, 28 cases were lodged over violence against women and children, while 41 theft cases and 60 unnatural death cases were recorded during the month. The highest number of cases -205- were filed under the Narcotics Control Act, alongside several cases related to robbery, dacoity and physical assault. The report also showed that cases increased in seven categories of comparatively serious crimes, while five categories saw a decline. Lawyer Badiul Alam Sujan, public prosecutor of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal in Cumilla, said the rise in cases reflects a worsening crime situation. “The increase in cases means crimes are also increasing. This is certainly a negative sign,” he said. “We are witnessing deterioration in the law and order situation with our own eyes. Naturally, this is increasing public anxiety and insecurity,” he added. Deputy Commissioner Md Reza Hasan, who also heads the district law and order committee, however, said the rise in cases could partly be attributed to greater willingness among victims to seek legal remedy. He said law enforcement agencies were instructed during the meeting to strengthen measures to curb crimes ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. Important decisions were also taken to ensure security on highways during cattle transportation, prevent circulation of counterfeit currency and curb theft and snatching incidents at shopping malls and cattle markets, he added.