United News of Bangladesh

The daily life has turned into a struggle for residents across 21 southern districts, including Khulna, due to frequent power outages amid an intense heatwave, largely driven by fuel shortages linked to the Middle East crisis. With temperatures soaring and electricity disappearing for hours at a stretch, common people, office-goers and students – particularly Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinees – are bearing the brunt of the worsening crisis. Many residents say the frequent and prolonged power cuts in both day and night have left them frustrated and exhausted. Customers in different areas reported that electricity supply is frequently interrupted for hours at a stretch, with outages even during early morning and midnight periods. Md Mahfuz, a private bank employee at Shibbari intersection in Khulna city, on Thursday said repeated power disruptions were affecting office work. “I came to the office as usual in the morning, but power has already gone out three times by noon. Work gets disrupted every time. When electricity is available, we can work in comfort, but during outages the office becomes extremely hot and unbearable,” he said. Echoing Mahfuz, Nurjahan Khatun from Arash Nagar village in Dumuria upazila said the situation at home has become equally difficult. “The sun is scorching and the heat is unbearable. Electricity goes out 8 to 10 times a day. It comes for an hour or so and then disappears again. People are getting sick due to the heat, and electronic appliances are also being damaged,” she said. According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department’s Khulna office, the maximum temperature on Thursday was 37.5 degrees Celsius, compared to 36 degrees Celsius on Wednesday. Officials said the ongoing heatwave is intensifying the discomfort. “Weather conditions indicate that the heatwave will continue today (Friday) as well, although there is a possibility of rain on April 25 or 26,” said Md Mizanur Rahman, in-charge of the Khulna Met office. Officials from the West Zone Power Distribution Company Ltd (WZPDCL) claimed that the crisis has deepened due to a supply shortage. Md Abdul Majid, Chief Engineer (Energy, System Control and Services), said load-shedding has increased since Tuesday afternoon due to lower electricity supply. “We are getting less electricity supply, so we are forced to provide less. This situation is linked to fuel shortages triggered by the global situation,” he said. The WZPDCL is responsible for supplying electricity to 21 districts, covering parts of Khulna, Barishal, and Greater Faridpur regions. The company serves over 17,28,316 consumers in these areas. At 3:00pm on Thursday, the supply stood at 619 MW against a demand of 756 MW, resulting in a shortage of 182 MW. As the heatwave continues, residents say they see no immediate relief in sight, with both weather conditions and power shortages compounding their suffering. Meanwhile, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Aninda Islam Amit on Thursday told Parliament that the government has decided to introduce a trial of 110 megawatts of load-shedding in the capital to ensure uninterrupted electricity for irrigation and reduce the urban-rural disparity.    

A clash broke out in Rajshahi on Thursday over the control of the Rajshahi district motor workers’ union office, leaving the area tense amid explosions, display of firearms and crude weapons, and widespread vandalism. The violence took place from around 4:30pm to 5:30pm in the city’s Shiroil Bus Terminal area. According to allegations, the takeover attempt was led by Rofiqul Islam Pakhi, convener of the city Jubo Dal and acting general secretary of the district motor workers’ union. Local and union sources said that following the fall of the previous Awami League government, Pakhi had assumed the role of acting general secretary replacing former leader Mahtab Hossain Chowdhury. However, tensions escalated after several workers were allegedly assaulted by Pakhi’s supporters over a trivial incident on Wednesday. In protest, agitated workers confined Pakhi, assaulted him and locked the union office, demanding immediate elections. On Thursday, rival groups of workers gathered in different parts of the city, with Pakhi’s opponents assembling in the Shiroil area and his supporters gathering near Railgate. Both sides were seen carrying rods, pipes and locally made weapons. Around 4:30pm, Pakhi, accompanied by BNP, Jubo Dal and labour wing activists, entered the Shiroil area with a procession of around 200 supporters. Eyewitnesses said his supporters exploded 5–6 crude bombs upon arrival, triggering panic in the area. As rival workers retreated under pressure, Pakhi’s group took control of the union office and vandalised several shops, building windows and multiple motorcycles. After about an hour of unrest, they returned to the Railgate area. Locals alleged that police were present at the scene but failed to take effective action during the violence, remaining largely silent observers. However, police were later reinforced in the area to prevent further escalation. Rofiqul Islam Pakhi claimed that “pro-Awami League labour leaders had locked the office using general workers” and said his group had “recovered the office.” He added that the situation is now under control. Rajshahi Metropolitan Police spokesperson Additional Deputy Commissioner Gaziur Rahman said both groups had left the area and the situation was now calm. Responding to allegations of police inaction, he said additional forces were deployed and assured that legal action would be taken after reviewing CCTV footage.

Two activists of Jatiotabadi Chhatra Dal were killed and three others injured in a head-on collision between two motorcycles in Brahmanbaria on Thursday evening. The deceased were identified as Md Rabbi, 32, son of Rafiq Mia of Shyamgram in Nabinagar upazila, and Mahim Khandaker, 26, son of Mobarak Hossain of Serampur. Among the injured is Chhatra Dal leader Yasin Arafat Rimon, who is currently undergoing treatment at a local hospital. According to locals, the accident occurred in front of Narui bridge when two motorcycles collided head-on, leaving five riders injured. They were rescued and taken to Brahmanbaria District Sadar Hospital, where doctors declared two of them dead. Dr Md Sifat, on duty at the emergency department of the 250-bed Brahmanbaria General Hospital, confirmed that the two victims were brought dead. The bodies have been kept at the hospital morgue. District Chhatra Dal Member Secretary Sameer Chakraborty rushed to the hospital after hearing the news and said the deceased were dedicated activists of the organisation.  

A 10-month-old child with symptoms consistent with measles died at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital in the last 24 hours till 9:00am on Thursday, taking the total number of child deaths at the facility to 16 this year. During the period, 27 new suspected measles patients were admitted, while 47 others were discharged after recovery. Currently, 65 children are receiving treatment. The child, who passed away, was admitted to the hospital’s isolation ward on April 18 from Trishal upazila with measles-like symptoms. He died on Wednesday night due to pneumonia and respiratory failure, said Associate Professor Dr Mohammad Golam Mawla, focal person of the measles isolation ward. Since March 17, a total of 748 children have been admitted with symptoms consistent with measles. Of them, 667 have recovered and returned home, while 16 have died. Due to a shortage of beds in the isolation ward, many patients are being treated on the floor and in hospital verandas. Assistant Director (Administration) Dr Mohammad Mainuddin Khan said three medical teams have been formed to manage the situation and ensure treatment for all patients. He, however, noted that a lack of manpower and equipment has prevented the launch of ICU for children at the hospital. Currently, Bubble CPAP support is being used to treat critically ill children.

A young man was slaughtered at a workers’ hostel of Matador Group in the Kamrangirchar area of the capital early Thursday. The victim was identified as Md Yakub Ali, 25, son of Abdul Malek of Aralia village in Gazaria upazila of Munshiganj district. He used to work at Matador Group and stay at its workers’ hostel at Lakepar of Kamrangirchar. Fellow workers found Yakub critically injured inside the hostel’s toilet with his throat slit around 1:15am, said police. He was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), where he succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment. Assistant Manager of the company, Bazlur Rahman, said they rescued Yakub from the toilet after being informed and immediately took him to the hospital. “We do not know who did this and why,” he added. Inspector Md Faruk, in-charge of the DMCH police camp, said the body has been kept at the hospital morgue for autopsy.

Police have recovered the hanging body of a young man from Ramnagar Thakurbari area under Kachundi union in Sadar upazila. The deceased was identified as Tanmoy Mondol, 22, son of Kamal Mondol of Byasdi Gajna village in Madhukhali upazila of Faridpur. Officer-in-Charge of Magura Sadar Police Station Ashikur Rahman said the youth was found hanging from a mango tree in the area around 11:00am on Wednesday. Later, they recovered the body and sent it to Magura 250-bed hospital for autopsy. Locals said one Aditya Mondol first spotted the body while he was heading to the field in the morning and raised alarm. The OC said a case was filed and an investigation is underway to determine the actual cause of the death.

Two workers died and two others suffered injuries after being buried under soil during excavation for the Chattogram Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) drainage system in Halishahar of the port city early Thursday. One of the deceased was identified as Tushar, hailing from Dinajpur district. Further details about him and the identity of the other deceased could not be known immediately. The incident occurred in the Agrabad B-4 Access Road area, where excavation work on the Chattogram WASA drainage system was underway by a hydro company. Sub-Inspector Nurul Alam Ashik at the Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) police camp said a sudden collapse of soil during digging trapped four workers under the debris around 4:30am. Fellow workers rescued them and took them to the CMCH, where the on-duty doctor declared two of them dead, he said. The SI said the injured workers – Sagar and Ershad – were receiving treatment at the hospital.

Law enforcement agencies arrested six individuals during anti-drug drives in Natore district, with four of them sentenced to short-term imprisonment and fined by a mobile court. Officer-in-Charge of Lalpur Police Station Shafiqul Islam said a special police team conducted drives at several suspected drug dens across Lalpur upazila from Wednesday evening to night. During the raids, three alleged drug traders – Babul, Aslam and Saidur – and a drug user named Ashraful were caught red-handed with hemp. A mobile court later sentenced each of them to 15 days’ imprisonment along with monetary fines. Separately, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members conducted a drive in Hijli Pabnapara village under Bagatipara upazila the same night, detaining two individuals – Ashikul Islam and Ashikur Rahman – with 55 Yaba tablets. They were later handed over to the police for further legal action.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) detained an Indian national along with 900 grams of gold in the paste form and various foreign currencies during a drive in Jashore early Wednesday. The detainee was identified as Ali Amin Ahmed, said Lt Col Golam Mohammad Saiful Alam Khan, commanding officer of Jashore-49 BGB Battalion. Acting on a tip-off, a team of BGB-49 intercepted Amin in the early hours in a bus on the Jashore-Narail highway in the Taraganj area of Sadar upazila and recovered the gold paste from his possession. BGB seizes Indian medicines, food items worth over Tk 2cr in Habiganj

Two minor siblings drowned in a pond in Panchbibi upazila of Joypurhat district on Wednesday afternoon. The deceased were identified as Hossain, Ali, 12, and Rahmat Ali, 10, sons of Enamul Haque of Majihna Lohar Pukur village in the upazila. They were Class V and V students respectively. Officer-in-Charge of Panchbibi Police Station Hafiz M Raihan said the two brothers went missing while bathing in a pond with their friends. Woman killed, another injured by miscreants' attack in Joypurhat   They were later found floating in the pond and immediately rushed to the Upazila Health Complex where the on-duty doctor declared them dead. Their only daughter also met the same fate three years ago, locals said.