United News of Bangladesh

A local Krishak Dal leader, Baten Mia, was hacked to death following a dispute over a mosque committee in Araihazar. His son, Azizul, was also seriously injured in the attack and remains in critical condition. The attack took place around 7pm on Wednesday. Baten Mia was a member of the local Union Krishak Dal and had been involved in BNP politics for a long time. Locals said a group of attackers, led by Union BNP President Karim, attacked the father and son with sharp weapons. Both Baten and Azizul were first admitted to Malek Hospital. As their condition worsened, they were later transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where Baten died during treatment on Thursday morning around 10 am. Narayanganj was a place for godfathers, says Asif Nazrul Azizul’s wife, Nusrat, demanded the immediate arrest of the attackers and called for exemplary punishment. Araihazar police officer-in-charge Khandakar Nasiruddin said the case is being prepared and the police hope to arrest the accused soon. The incident has created tension across the area.  

Girls have outshined boys in both overall pass rate and GPA-5 in the published Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) results under the Cumilla Education Board this year.  The board saw a 48.86 percent pass rate which is the lowest among 11 boards in the country this year. A total of 2,707 students achieved GPA-5, with 1,749 girls and 958 boys respectively. This year, 99,576 candidates sat for the exams under the board, with 57,524 girls and 42,052 boys, with only 48,657 students securing pass. HSC results: Overall pass rate falls to 58.83%; a sharp 19% decline Of them, 30,701 girls came out successfully while 17,956 boys passed, with pass rates of 53.37 percent and 42.70 percent respectively. Prof Md Shamsul Islam, chairman of the board, disclosed the information on Thursday morning. Five educational institutions under the board achieved a 100 percent pass rate, while nine institutions failed to see even a single student pass.  

The body of a farmer was recovered from a field in Gangni upazila of Meherpur district on Wednesday night. The deceased was identified as Amir Ali, son of Salamat Ali from Halsanapara area of Harabhanga village. Youth’s body recovered from Dhanmondi Lake According to his family, Amir Ali went to the field near Harabhanga Beel at noon to cut grass but did not return home. After he remained missing for several hours, local residents began searching for him around 10 pm and found the body. He might have suffered a stroke, said Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Gangni Police Station Bani Israel.  

Members of several social organizations lay on the railway tracks in Sylhet on Wednesday in a symbolic protest, demanding the double-lining of the Sylhet-Dhaka railway and the introduction of new trains. The demonstration took place around 3 pm at the South Surma rail gate and was organized by the Sylhet Kalyan Sangstha, Sylhet Division Jubo Kalyan Sangstha, and Sylhet Probashi Kallyan Sangstha. A public gathering followed the protest. Speakers at the gathering highlighted the growing passenger demand for rail travel due to traffic congestion and hardships on the Sylhet-Dhaka highway. They claimed that train tickets have become extremely difficult to obtain, selling out within minutes of release, while black-market prices surge three to four times higher. They accused the railway authorities of silent complicity in such syndicates and stated that Sylhet is being deliberately neglected in railway development. The protesters demanded rapid double-lining of the Sylhet-Dhaka route, addition of new trains, uninterrupted services on Sylhet-Chattogram and Sylhet-Cox’s Bazar routes, resumption of the Sylhet-Chatak route, train upgrades, and extra carriages.  “If there is no improvement in the Sylhet-Dhaka rail service within a month, we will lie in front of railway engines in protest,” Sylhet Kallyan Sangstha President Mohammad Ehsanul Haque said. Leaders and activists from various social and civic organizations joined the demonstration.    

Police have arrested a man for allegedly killing his wife in Shyamlipara area of Ullapara municipality in Sirajganj. The victim was identified as Amrita Rani Halder, 35, while the arrestee is her husband, Jibon Barman, 40. Confirming the information, Officer-in-Charge of Ullapara Model Police Station Rakibul Hasan said, “Amrita had long been subjected to mental and physical abuse by her drug-addicted husband and his family members.” On Tuesday afternoon, she was allegedly strangled to death at her husband’s residence following a family dispute. Later, police recovered the body and sent it to Shaheed M. Monsur Ali Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy. That night, the victim’s father filed a case with Ullapara Model Police Station, naming her husband, mother-in-law, and brother-in-law as accused. Acting on the case, police conducted a drive in the area and arrested Jibon Barman the same night. OC Rakibul Hasan said, “Police have already begun investigating the case and efforts are underway to arrest the remaining accused.”    

Three people were killed and 12 others injured in a head-on-collision between a bus and truck on Dhaka-Tangail highway at Baoi-khola in Basail upazila of Tangail district on Wednesday. The identities of the deceased could not be known immediately. The bus of ‘Bhai Bhai Paribahan’ from Jamalpur district collided head-on with an iron rod-laden truck coming from opposite direction while overtaking another truck, leaving one dead on the spot and 14 others injured, said Jalal Uddin, officer-in-charge of Basail Police Station. The injured were taken to Tangail General Hospital where  doctors declared two of them dead.    

Two people including a child were killed and 15 others injured when a bus fell into a roadside ditch being hit by another bus in Bhanga upazila of Faridpur district on Wednesday noon.   One of the deceased was identified as Shamsunnahar, 40, wife of Nazrul Islam from Wazirpur upazila in Barishal. The identity of the child is yet to be confirmed. JU female student killed in Meherpur road accident Officer-in-charge Rokibuzzaman of Bhanga Highway Police Station said a Barishal-bound bus of Euro Line Paribahan lost control and overturned after being hit by a Shyamoli Paribahan bus while overtaking in Purbosadardi area, leaving 17 bus passengers injured.   Among them, the woman and the child succumbed to their injuries on the way to Bhanga Upazila Health Complex, he said.    Police recovered the damaged bus and seized the Shyamoli Paribahan bus its drive managed to flee, the OC said, adding that legal action will be taken in this regard.      

The Gangachara upazila administration has banned the slaughter of cattle without official clearance to prevent the spread of anthrax. Mahmud Hasan Mridha, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), said the outbreak of anthrax have been reported across Rangpur district. “As anthrax can transmit from animals to humans, this precautionary step is necessary,” he added. The directive requires meat traders to obtain clearance from the Upazila Livestock Office or Veterinary Hospital before slaughtering any animal. Violators may face legal action, the UNO warned. Anthrax fears grip Mithapukur after residents fall ill Notices showing test reports are displayed at butcher shops in Rangpur city, including Medical East Gate, Dhap, Lal Kuthir intersection, City Bazar, and the bus terminal. Customers are reportedly refusing beef without valid test certification. Cattle scheduled for slaughter are inspected the night before, and only those passing receive clearance for processing. Health authorities reported 53 people with anthrax-like symptoms in Pirgacha, Kaunia, and Mithapukur upazilas, with two suspected deaths. Patients are receiving treatment at local health complexes. Officials confirmed the outbreak is of the cutaneous type, which affects the skin and is not highly contagious between humans. Anthrax cases reach 17 in Rangpur Rangpur District Livestock Officer Abu Sayeed said vaccination campaigns have covered livestock in Pirgacha, Kaunia, Mithapukur and Rangpur Sadar, and animals are being screened prior to slaughter to contain the outbreak.  

A mobile court conducted by Faridpur’s Sadarpur Upazila administration sentenced 22 fishermen to 15 days in jail for catching mother hilsa defying the ongoing ban on Wednesday. Sadarpur Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) and Executive Magistrate Zakia Sultana said the operation was carried out from 4 am to 8 am. Hilsa floods Chandpur markets, prices drop During the drive, 20 kilograms of hilsa were seized and 50,000 meters of electric fishing nets were burnt. She added that such operations will continue in public interest to protect and conserve the fish population.    

Two youths were shot and injured in a gun attack by unidentified miscreants in Khulna city on Tuesday night. The injured, Monir Howlader and Hanif Howlader, are now undergoing treatment at Khulna Medical College Hospital. Quoting locals, Shafiqul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Khulna Sadar Police Station, said a group of miscreants riding motorbikes stopped in front of Nirala Talukdar Community Centre and opened fire on the duo from close range around 9:30pm, leaving them critically injured. Man shot by muggers at Dhaka’s Banasree The attackers fled the scene when locals rushed out after hearing the victims’ screams, the OC said. He added that the incident might have been linked to a dispute over drug peddling, as Monir is an accused in two drug-related cases. Police have launched a drive to arrest those involved in the attack, the OC said.