United News of Bangladesh

Rising tensions were reported in Jhenaidah on Saturday as rival rallies by Jamaat-e-Islami and BNP supporters coincided, prompting police deployment to maintain order. The incident occurred around 6 pm at Surat Bazar in Sadar Upazila. Local sources said the Surat Union Jamaat office had called for a protest rally after alleging irregularities in the distribution of government fertilizer and seeds the previous night. The rally began Saturday afternoon. Later, local BNP activists alleged that Jamaat leaders made provocative remarks targeting BNP during the rally. When BNP supporters asked them to refrain from such comments, tensions flared between the two groups, prompting police to deploy additional forces at the scene to restore order. Jamaat leader Iqbal Hossain claimed, “We were holding a peaceful protest. BNP activists attempted to attack us with sticks, but local residents intervened and calmed the situation.” In response, at 7 pm, the Surat Union BNP organized a protest march at the same location, led by former UP chairman Billal Hossain. Speaking at a short gathering after the march, Hossain accused Jamaat leaders of making provocative statements against BNP, attempting to trap party supporters, and urged patience while countering such schemes. He also noted that the seized fertilizer and seeds had indeed come from the Jamaat office and criticized attempts to cover up the facts. Maulana Habibur Rahman, Sadar Upazila Jamaat Amir, alleged that since August 5, Jamaat support in Jhenaidah had increased, prompting BNP to orchestrate a mob under the pretext of fertilizer recovery to discredit the party. He said locals had recognized the BNP’s alleged conspiracy. Sadar Thana Officer-in-Charge Abdullah Al Mamun confirmed that heightened tensions had emerged between the supporters of the two parties. He said, “As soon as we received reports, police were deployed at Surat Bazar. We have called on all parties to maintain peace and public order.” The situation reportedly remained under control after the deployment of additional police personnel.

A worker died after being crushed by a tree in Sarankhola upazila of Bagerhat on Saturday morning. The deceased was identified as Sultan Hawladar, 60, a laborer and son of Anis Hawladar of Khuriyakhali village in Southkhali Union. Md. Shahidullah, Officer-in-Charge of Sarankhola Police Station, said, “The tree, a monkey jack tree, had been purchased by local timber trader Shahidul Islam. Around 9 am, workers went to the location to cut the tree down. While trying to pull it down with ropes after cutting, Sultan was trapped under the falling tree and died on the spot.” No complaint has been filed by the family. An accidental death case has been recorded at the police station.    

The newly built Khulna District Jail was inaugurated on Saturday with 100 convicted prisoners, who were transferred from the old Khulna Jail. The inmates were brought to the new facility under tight security and were welcomed with flowers upon arrival. Khulna Divisional Prisons Department’s Deputy Inspector General of Prisons (DIG Prison) Md Monir Ahmed, Khulna District Prison Jail Superintendent Nasir Uddin Pradhan, Deputy Jail Superintendent Abdullah Hal Al Amin, Muhammad Munir of the district, and other senior officials were present at the inauguration. Jail Superintendent Nasir Uddin Pradhan said the long wait had ended with the transfer of the first 100 prisoners. “Since it is a new prison, there may be many challenges. These 100 convicts are part of the initial stage. We will monitor the issues they may face,” he added. The new prison features paved roads, colourful buildings, tiled sidewalks, parking areas, a mosque, and a hospital. Each building has a separate boundary wall to prevent interaction between different categories of prisoners. A total of 57 structures have been built, including 11 buildings specifically for inmates. A five-kilometre-long internal wall has been constructed to strengthen security. The gallows, located in the southwest corner of the prison, is made of grey tin sheets and corrugated iron roofs, and authorities claim it is the most modern in the country. The prison complex, built on 30 acres along Khulna City Bypass (Rupsa Bridge Road), was originally approved in 2011 by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) with a budget of Tk 144 crore and a deadline of June 2016. After multiple extensions and two budget revisions, the project cost rose to Tk 288 crore. Although the jail has a capacity for 4,000 prisoners, the current infrastructure can accommodate 2,000.    

A suspected cattle lifter was killed reportedly in a lynch-mob attack in Sundarganj upazila of Gaibandha district early Saturday. The deceased was identified as Abdus Salam of Ramdakua village in the upazila. AL leader found dead on rooftop of his home in Sylhet Abdur Hakim Azad, officer-in-charge of Sundarganj Police station, said Abdus Salam entered the house of one Abdul Gafur at Nawabganj village in the dead of night along the Teesta char area and stole a shallow machine. Local people managed to catch him when he tried to lift cattle from the same house. At one stage, they beat Salam up mercilessly, leaving him dead on the spot.    

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) have arrested a man for his alleged involvement in the killing two minor children for collecting stones, from Patgram upazila of Lalmonirhat district. The arrestee was Azharul Islam, 38, son of Pensul of Gangachara upazila of Rangpur district. Tipped off, a team of Rab-13 conducted a drive at Mohammadpur village in Patgram upazila of Lalmonirhat district and arrested Azharul on Friday night, said Senior Assistant Director (media) of Rab-13, Additional Superintendent Biplab Kumar Goswami on Saturday. Child kidnapped using ’devil breath’ in Dhaka rescued: 3 held Abdur Rahman, 8 and Maruf, 6 had gone missing on August 5 when they went to the sand quarry along Gangachara Ghaghot River, said Rab sources. Later, the children were found dead under the soil of the area on that day. Abdur Rashid and Zakerul Islam, parents of the two children, filed a murder case with Gangachara Police Station. After interrogation, Azharul admitted that he along with others killed the boys for collecting stones and buried the bodies under sand.  

Three children drowned and two others went missing while bathing in the Jhenai River in Madarganj upazila of Jamalpur on Friday afternoon. According to police and witnesses, the incident happened around 3:30pm at the ghat near Anar Sarkar’s house in Charbhatiani Amtola area. A group of schoolchildren went to bathe in the river when five of them accidentally slipped into a deep part of the water. On information, a diving team from Jamalpur Fire Service rushed to the spot and began a rescue operation. By evening, three bodies were recovered, while two children remained missing. The deceased were identified as Poly Akter, 12, and Abu Hasan, 8, children of expatriate Dudu Mia from Charbhatiani Madhya Para, and Sayeba Akter, 8, daughter of Nur Islam from Bausi village in Sarishabari upazila. The missing children were identified as Kulsum and Boishakhi, both from Charbhatiani area. 1 dies, 2 missing as boat sinks in Jamalpur Rafiqul Islam, leader of Jamalpur Fire Service, said, “The search operation was halted at night and will resume Saturday morning.” Md Saifullah Saif, Officer-in-Charge of Madarganj Model Police Station confirmed the incident. The tragic drowning, which claimed the lives of three children from two families, has cast a pall of grief over the Charbhatiani Amtola area.      

A young man drowned while bathing in the Dakatiya River at Mominpur, Bagadi Union in Chandpur Sadar upazila, on Friday afternoon. The deceased was identified as Prince Mahmud (20), son of Md. Rafiqul Islam from Gendaria, Dhaka. He had come to the area as part of Tabligh e Jamaat activities. According to Chandpur River Fire Station Officer Rakibul Islam, the incident occurred around 11am, when Prince went missing after entering the river to bathe. The Fire Service was informed around 11:40am, and a diving team reached the spot by 1pm. After about 30 minutes of search operations, they recovered the body around 1:30pm. 350kg rotten hilsa destroyed in Chandpur market, Tk 1 lakh fine imposed Later, the body was handed over to Sub-Inspector Nadir of Chandpur Sadar Model Police Station for necessary legal procedures. Officer-in-Charge Md. Bahar Mia said a preliminary inquest was conducted, and after completing legal formalities, the body was handed over to the victim’s family.      

Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) arrested a male, the prime suspect in the murder of a woman, his step-mother, in Chandina upazila of Cumilla, on Friday. The accused, Shahin Munshi, 26, was arrested from the Eliotganj Bazar area on the Dhaka–Chattogram Highway around 6 pm. Shahin, son of Emdadul Haque Munshi from Sabdalpur village under Bataghasi union of Chandina, allegedly attacked his stepmother Halima Begum, 34, with a sharp weapon at their home on Wednesday night. She died early the next morning while undergoing treatment. Inspector Bipul Debnath of Cumilla PBI said that the incident drew the attention of their Superintendent of Police, Sarwar Alam, who ordered an immediate operation. Using technology and intelligence efforts, police arrested the main accused within 24 hours. According to locals, Emdadul Haque’s first wife died three years ago, and he married Halima Begum about two months ago. Woman hacked by ‘stepson’ in Cumilla dies On Wednesday around 11 pm, Shahin allegedly attacked her at their house. Halima was first taken to Cumilla Medical College Hospital and later transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where she died. Following the incident, the victim’s elder brother, Nurul Islam Munshi, filed a case with Chandina Police Station.    

A 60-year-old man was killed in a mob attack in Sirajganj on Thursday night after being accused of attempting to steal a cow. The incident took place in Muktargati village of Sirajganj Sadar upazila. The deceased was identified as Sanowar Hossain Sanu, son of Md. Badullah Sheikh of Alampur village in the same area. His body was recovered by police on Friday afternoon and sent to Shaheed M. Monsur Ali Medical College Hospital morgue. Octogenarian Sirajganj AL leader Ahmad Mostafa Khan Bacchu dies in jail Mokhlesur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge of Sirajganj Sadar Police Station, said, “Sanu allegedly tried to steal a cow from Hasan’s house in Nizamgati village of neighboring Raiganj upazila. Locals chased him, and he fled across the Fuljor River to Muktargati Char area. Then, Sanu was reportedly beaten and stabbed by the angry crowd, resulting in his death on the spot.” Additionally, the OC informed that Sanu had three cases related to cow theft and two robbery cases pending against him. “A case has been filed with the local police station over the incident,” he added.    

The body of a missing farmer, Hanif Mia, was recovered from a haor in Sylhet’s Companyganj upazila one day after he went missing. Hanif Mia, the son of Montaz Ali, was from Chanpur Keyaghat village of Purba Islampur Union. His body was retrieved from Rauti Beel at around 8:00 am on Friday. According to local sources, Hanif Mia went to the banks of Rauti Beel on Thursday morning at 7:00 am to graze his cows but did not return home by evening. His wife, finding him absent, brought the cows back and informed the villagers, who announced his disappearance via the mosque’s speakers. After searching throughout the night, locals recovered his body on Friday morning using fishing nets. Companyganj police Officer-in-Charge Ratan Sheikh said the exact cause of death is unknown. The body has been sent to Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital morgue for postmortem, and further legal action is underway.