United News of Bangladesh

A 22-year-old woman died after being struck by lightning in Mohammadpur upazila of Magura district on Tuesday afternoon. The deceased was identified as Maria, daughter of Dabir Sheikh of Lankarchar village in Boalmari upazila in Faridpur district. Officer-in-Charge of Mohammadpur Police Station Ashraful Zaman said Maria was seriously injured after being struck by lightning while working at home. She was rushed to Mohammadpur Upazila Health Complex for treatment. Hospital sources said she died around 3:00pm while undergoing treatment at the health complex.

Two passengers of a CNG were killed in a head-on collision between an inter-district bus and a CNG-run autorickshaw on the Sunamganj-Sylhet highway in Jalalpur area on Monday. The accident occurred around 3pm. The identity of one of the deceased was confirmed as Anwar Hossain, 40, a resident of Terjolal village in Tahirpur upazila of the district. The other victim could not be identified immediately. Physician found dead in Dhaka flat According to police and eyewitnesses, the crowded CNG was heading towards Sylhet from Sunamganj collided head-on with Rifat Paribahan bus going the other way. The impact left the CNG autorickshaw crushed under the bus, killing two of its passengers on the spot. Additional Superintendent of Police Sujan Sarkar, said they received reports confirming the deaths of two people but only one has been identified, adding that efforts were underway to identify the other victim.

A team of the Bangladesh Navy seized narcotics worth around Tk 30 crore and two foreign-made firearms during a special drive in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar early Monday. Acting on a tip-off, the Navy conducted the operation in the Alikhali area under Hnila union. During the drive, the team members searched a brick kiln in the area and recovered 7.5 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, locally known as ice, and 100,000 Yaba tablets that had been tactically buried under the ground. Navy seizes foreign firearms, ammunition and yaba in Teknaf drive The street value of the seized narcotics is estimated to be around Tk30 crore, according to a media release issued by the Inter Services Public Relation (ISPR) Directorate. The operation also led to the recovery of two foreign-made pistols, two magazines and four rounds of ammunition. During the drive, law enforcers also arrested Nurul Kabir, a fugitive accused wanted in multiple cases related to arms and narcotics, from the same area. The seized drugs, firearms and ammunition, along with the detainee, were handed over to Teknaf Police Station for further legal action. The Bangladesh Navy continues its anti-smuggling operations in coastal and maritime areas to curb the trafficking of narcotics and illegal weapons.

A woman was killed after being struck by a motorbike at Boro Bhangha Mahakash Bypass road in Dhaka’s Demra area on Monday. The deceased was identified as Dolimun Nessa,78, of Nalitabari upazila of Sherpur district. Victim’s son Mohammad Sorhab said his mother was crossing the road when the motorbike hit her from behind, leaving her seriously injured. She was rescued her in critical condition and taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where doctors declared her dead. Inspector Md Faruk, in-charge of the DMCH police camp, said the body was handed over to the family without an autopsy as no complaint was lodged.

Police arrested a Union Parishad Chairman from Debidwar upazila of Cumilla district in connection with the killing of an auto-rickshaw driver during the July uprising on Monday. The arrestee is Mokbul Hossain Mukul, chairman of Gunaighar Uttar Union Parishad and president of Gunaighar union unit Awami League. Acting on secret information, a team of Debidwar Police Station conducted a drive at the Union Parishad office and arrested Mukul around 10 am, said Md Maniruzzaman, officer-in-charge of Debidwar Police Station. Aminul Islam Sabbir, an auto-rickshaw driver, received bullet injuries on his head when he along with other local people went to Debidwar Police Station to besiege it after the fall of the Sheikha Hasina-led regime on August 5, 2024. Later, he was taken to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Nazmul Hasan, maternal uncle of Sabbir filed a case against 99 people including former MP Abul Kalam Azad. Chairman Mukul was the ezhar-listed criminal in the case.

Four people were killed and two others injured as a sand-laden truck crashed into a CNG-run autorickshaw at Montalat Samitighar in Muktagachha upazila of Mymensingh district on Monday. The identities of the deceased and injured could not be confirmed immediately. All of the victims were passengers of the CNG auto-rickshaw, said Muktagachha Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Kamrul Hasan. According to police and locals, the speeding sand-laden truck coming from the opposite rammed the autorickshaw around 12 pm, leaving thee female passengers dead on the spot and three others seriously injured. The CNG-run autorickshaw was severely mangled while the truck overturned on the road. The injured were rescued and taken to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital where another victim succumbed to injuries. Police later reached the scene and recovered the bodies. Such accidents are often caused by overspeeding and reckless overtaking, said the OC.

Two people were killed and two others injured in a collision between a truck and a pickup van in Ravna bypass area on Dhaka-Tangail highway on Monday. The identities of the deceased could not be known immediately. Elenga Highway Police Outpost Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Sharif said the  truck heading towards Jamuna Bridge collided with the pickup van on Ravna flyover, leaving two people dead on the spot. The bodies of the deceased were sent to Tangail General Hospital morgue and the injured were admitted to the hospital. The bodies will be handed over to the families after the legal process is completed, said the OC.

Police recovered the body of a fish farmer with his throat and hands slit from his home in Singra upazila of Natore district early Sunday. The deceased was identified as Rafiqul Islam Rubel, 50, a resident of Bishnupur village under Italy Union. Family members said Rubel used to sleep in a separate room of his house and left the door open before going to bed at night. In the morning, his wife, Shiuily Begum, entered the room and found his blood-stained body lying on the floor. Locals later informed police who recovered the body and conducted an inquest at the scene. Police also collected evidence before sending the body to Natore General Hospital for an autopsy. Singra Police Station Officer-in-Charge Rafiqul Islam said the incident is under investigation.

Panic spread among passengers after a fire broke out in the engine of a moving commuter train in Hatibandha upazila of Lalmonirhat district on Sunday. However, prompt action prevented any major accident and no casualties were reported. The incident occurred about one kilometre from Hatibandha Railway Station when the Burimari-bound commuter train which had departed from Lalmonirhat, suddenly caught fire in its engine. Sensing fire, the loco master immediately brought the train to a halt, forcing the panicked passengers to quickly disembark from the train. Witnesses said many passengers became frightened and rushed out of the train, creating a chaotic scene. The situation came under control shortly afterwards. According to initial assumptions by the Fire Service, the fire might have originated from a mechanical fault in the engine. Local residents initially attempted to extinguish the fire before the Fire Service was informed. Firefighters later arrived and brought the blaze under control. Later, the train resumed its journey toward Burimari. Imran Hasan, a Fire Service official said the fire originated in the engine’s mobil (lubrication) chamber, possibly due to overheating caused by friction in the train’s wheels.          

The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has seized a large quantity of smuggled goods worth around Tk 1.90 crore in separate operations in the Sylhet border area. Acting on secret information, the Sylhet Battalion (48 BGB) conducted drives on Sunday in several border areas, including Banglabazar, Kalairag, Minatila, Sangram, Bichnakandi, Pratappur and Sripur, and recovered Indian smuggled goods, said BGB sources. The seized items include 7,264 kg of cumin, 7,200 pieces of skin bright cream, 2,260 sunglasses, 28,944 packets of biscuits, 3,450 pieces of Klop G cream, 1,701 pieces of gel, 495 kg of snakehead fish, one buffalo, 6,772 pieces of chocolate, 285 kg of betel nut, 345 kg of fuchka, 153 trousers, 585 tubes of toothpaste, 100 kg of sugar, 20 cubic feet of stone, one truck, one motorcycle, one trolley and 41 bottles of Indian liquor. The estimated value of the seized goods is Tk 1,90,08,070. Lieutenant Colonel Md Nazmul Haque, commanding officer of Sylhet Battalion (48 BGB), said BGB remains vigilant to ensure border security and prevent smuggling and drug trafficking. “As part of ongoing efforts, a significant amount of illegal goods has been seized. Legal action will be taken as per rules regarding the confiscated items,” he added.