United News of Bangladesh

Electricity supply will be temporarily cut in many areas of Sylhet city on Friday and Saturday for trimming trees and development work. This was confirmed in a notice signed by the Executive Engineer of Sales and Distribution Division-2 (BPDB) on November 20. The Sylhet-4 Sales and Distribution Division of the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) said the power outage on Friday, November 21, will be from 7:00 am to 1:00 pm. Affected areas under the 11 kV Kalighat feeder include Amjad Ali Road, Kalighat, Chararpar, Mashimpur, Mohajanpotri, Harkers Market, Laldighirpar, Dak Bangla Road, and nearby localities. Areas under the 11 kV Dhopadighirpar feeder, including Rose View Point and Upashahar D-Block Main Road, will also experience outages. On Saturday, November 22, power will be cut from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm in several parts of the city. New gas reserve found in old well at Kailashtila field in Sylhet Areas affected include Pathantula, Surma Gate, BGB Camp, Ansar Camp, Tarapur, Shraboni, Nikunja Latif Manzil, Pallabi Residential Area, Madina Market, University Gate, Osmani Medical College and Hospital, Sylhet Nursing College and Hostel, Lovely Road, Tapoban Residential Area, Bornomala School, Madina Tower, Bagbari, Surma Residential Area, Lake City, Kumargaon, Jalalabad Ragib-Rabeya Medical College and Hospital, Noapara, Akhalia, Kalibari, Ponitula, Londoni Road, Norsingtila, Orphanage School Road, Akhaliaghat, ACC office, Social Services Department, Karipara, Borobari, Dhamalipara, Natunbazar Brahmanshason, Sonali Residential Area, Khadra Model Town, Mohammadi Residential Area, Durski, Bhata Bazar, Uporpara, and Korbar Tila. The BPDB said electricity will be restored sooner if the work is completed earlier than scheduled. The authority also apologized for the temporary inconvenience caused to residents.

New gas reserves have been found by Petrobangla, through a workover of Well No. 1 at the Kailashtila gas field in Golapganj upazila of Sylhet. The well is expected to supply five million cubic feet of gas per day to the national grid, said project director of the Kailashtila-1 workover, Shafiqul Islam. The Kailashtila gas field, operated by Sylhet Gas Fields Limited (SGFL), has nine wells. Gas was first discovered in Well No. 1 in 1961 and production continued — with a brief pause — until 2019. In 2023, workover operations began on several old wells across the country. Under SGFL, workover activities are underway at 14 wells. Seven of these — including Kailashtila-1 — have already been completed and all seven have yielded new gas reserves. “Once the remaining tasks are completed, the managing director of Sylhet Gas Fields Limited will formally announce the discovery,” he said. According to SGFL sources, the newly discovered gas could be added to the national grid within two to three days, once all procedures are completed. Bapex began the workover at Kailashtila-1 about four months ago. Gas was detected at a depth of around 22,000 feet during the process. Earlier, on September 15, eight million cubic feet of gas per day was added to the national grid from Well No. 3 of the Rashidpur gas field — another old well revived under SGFL. With the latest additions, SGFL-operated wells are currently supplying an average of 110 million cubic feet of gas per day to the national grid. On October 22, last year, gas was discovered at Well No. 7 of the Haripur gas field after drilling work was completed. The well is producing 7–8 million cubic feet of gas daily on a trial basis from a depth of 1,200 meters. On May 24 of the same year, Well No. 8 of the Kailashtila gas field yielded 21 million cubic feet of gas per day during exploration, with reserves found between depths of 3,440 and 5,500 feet. According to official sources, several ongoing SGFL projects — including exploratory drilling and workovers — are nearing completion. If the expected amount of gas is found in the remaining wells, SGFL alone could supply up to 250 million cubic feet of gas per day to the national grid. The ongoing exploration and workover projects are costing around Tk 600 crore. On January 27, last year, a new gas layer was found in Well No. 2 at the Rashidpur field, with reserves estimated at 157 billion cubic feet. Earlier, on November 26, 2023, gas was discovered at Well No. 10 of the country’s oldest gas field in Haripur. SGFL confirmed the find upon completion of drilling. PetroBangla accelerates oil and gas exploration to mitigate energy crisis On November 22 that year, gas supply to the national grid began from the previously abandoned Well No. 2 at Kailashtila, adding 7 million cubic feet of gas per day. Sylhet’s Haripur field was the first in Bangladesh where gas was discovered, in 1955. Since then, multiple fields have been found. SGFL currently operates five gas fields: Haripur, Rashidpur, Chhatak, Kailashtila and Beanibazar. Among them, the Chhatak field remains abandoned.    

A local BNP leader was killed after being struck on the head with a brick during an argument in the Pirerbazar area under Shahparan police station in Sylhet, police said. Abdur Rahman, 65, served as the general secretary of Kadirpara Union BNP and was a khadem of Shah Sundar Mazar. According to local sources, the incident began when a young man, Sumon Ahmed, urinating by the roadside on Wednesday evening. Abdur Rahman objected to the young man's indiscretion, leading to an argument, during which Rahman struck Sumon. In retaliation, Sumon hit Rahman on the head with a brick, leaving him seriously injured. Both were admitted to Osmani Medical College Hospital, but Rahman succumbed to his injuries on Thursday morning. BNP withdraws expulsion orders against 40 Sylhet city leaders Sylhet Metropolitan Police Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) Mohammad Saiful Islam said Sumon managed to escape from the hospital during treatment. The body has been handed over to the family after an autopsy. No case has been filed yet, though senior police officials have visited the scene. Police are trying to apprehend Sumon.    

A Chhatra Dal leader was attacked while arriving at Narsingdi Judge Court on Thursday. Siam Bhuiyan Abir, 28, joint convener of Chhatra Dal in Ghorashal Municipality and son of Emran Mia of Darihaolapara in Palash Upazila, sustained injuries in the incident. Siam’s father Emran Mia said his son had gone to appear in court in a robbery case filed in December 2024 in the Paiksa area of Ghorashal. As he exited the court and approached the restroom, he was allegedly assaulted with an iron pipe by unidentified attackers. Siam ran to the court’s CDR room for safety, and the attackers fled when bystanders intervened. Siam was taken to Narsingdi District Hospital, where he received four stitches on his head and treatment for multiple injuries on his body. Sairul Islam, inspector of Narsingdi Court Police, said the injured leader was rescued with the help of court police and sent to the hospital for treatment.

A man died and five others injured as a private car skidded off the Chattogram Elevated Expressway in Nimtala Bishwa Road area on Thursday. The deceased was identified as Md Shafik, 43, a resident of Fakirhat area. The private car skidded off the expressway and fell on a road around 4:45 pm, leaving Shafik dead on the spot and five others injured, said Sirajul Islam, officer-in-charge of Port Police Station. The injured were taken to Islami Bank hospital and Maa O Shishu Hospital.  

The Khulna wing of Bangladesh Tank Lorry Owners Association on Thursday enforced a half-day strike to press home their six-point demand including an increase in transportation fares. The strike was observed from 8 am to 12 pm. Sheikh Sadi, organising secretary of Khulna Tank Lorry Owners Association, and Mir Moksed Ali, former president of the Tank Lorry Workers Union in the region, said the strike will continue for a week for four hours a day. In the second week, the strike will extend until 2 pm and a countrywide indefinite strike will begin from December 5 if the demands are not met, they said. Tank lorry owners refrained from loading fuel from Padma, Meghna and Jamuna fuel depots in Khalishpur’s Kashipur area and kept their vehicles parked at the depot gates. Winter fails to cool prices as Khulna kitchen markets see fresh hikes Tank lorries were also stationed along BL College Road, BIDC Road and in front of the Kashipur Tank Lorry Workers Union office. Fuel extraction and distribution from the depots came to a halt, disrupting supply across Khulna and 16 surrounding districts. The key demands include a fare increase, publication in the government gazette confirming that VAT will be paid by service recipients, inter-district route permits for all tank lorries, fitness clearance for vehicles deemed roadworthy, and extending the economic lifespan of tank lorries to 35 years, allowing those manufactured or registered up to 1990 to operate legally.

At least 100 rooms of a tin shed colony were destroyed in a massive fire that broke out in the Jorun area of Konabari in Gazipur. The fire started at 5 pm on Wednesday in a room of the colony and quickly spread to the surrounding rooms. Initially, locals tried to extinguish the fire, but as it intensified, they were unable to control it and called the fire service. Md. Saiful Islam, Inspector of Konabari Modern Fire Service Warehouse, said that two units of the Konabari Modern Fire Service responded to the incident. Later, two more units from Sarabo Modern Fire Service joined, and the fire was brought under control around 6 pm. No casualties have been reported. The fire service team could not immediately confirm the cause of the fire or the full extent of the damage. Rumel Pathan, the owner of the houses, said all 100 rooms of the colony were reduced to ashes, and it was impossible to salvage any belongings. Shah Alam, a garment worker, said, "I heard from my office that the house had caught fire. When I came home, I saw that everything was burnt to ashes. Nothing was left."

At least 50 people were injured in a three-day clash in Sirajganj municipality over local dominance. Among the injured, 26 were admitted to hospitals and clinics. Inspector (Investigation) Ahsanuzzaman of Sirajganj Sadar Police Station said, “Tensions had been building for a long time between youths of Malshapara and Hosenpur neighborhoods. The conflict started Sunday morning and continued until Tuesday midnight, involving repeated attacks, vandalism, and arson.” The clashes included the use of local weapons, batuls (metal rods), and DJ lights. Several houses, shops, and some windows of the district fisheries office suffered damage. Despite intervention by joint forces, fighting flared again, especially Tuesday night near Chand Ali Mor, causing panic in the area. Joint forces brought the situation under control after a three-hour operation, while police had to use tear gas and rubber bullets. Local leaders were instructed to prevent further clashes. Motorcycle race leaves 1 dead, another injured in Sirajganj Following the instructions, prominent residents began mediation efforts Wednesday morning, and law enforcement increased patrolling. Meanwhile, another clash broke out Tuesday night near Boropul Pashchim Chottor between two youth groups from Dhanbandhi and Bhangabari neighborhoods and several youths were injured. According to police, the fighting was triggered by a stabbing incident involving a youth named Sabbir.    

A mobile court on Wednesday sentenced a youth to six months in prison for beating his parents and setting fire to their house in Hatibandha Upazila of Lalmonirhat after they refused to give him money for drugs. The mobile court, led by Hatibandha Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Shamim Miah, handed down the sentence to Rahmat Ali, son of Aminur Islam of South Gaddimari in Singimari Union. UNO Shamim Miah said the youth was punished for violent behavior linked to drug addiction. According to police, Rahmat Ali beat his parents and set fire to their home on Tuesday night after failing to obtain money to buy drugs. Fire service personnel later brought the blaze under control. On Wednesday morning, Rahmat’s father Aminur Islam filed a written complaint with the UNO. Woman crushed under train in Lalmonirhat Police arrested Rahmat in the afternoon and produced him before the mobile court, where he confessed to assaulting his parents, taking drugs, and setting the house on fire. Following the confession, the court sentenced him to six months’ imprisonment. Mahmudun Nabi, officer-in-charge (OC) of Hatibandha Police Station, said the convict has since been sent to jail.  

Former Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) mayor Dr. Selina Hayat Ivy has been shown arrested in five more cases, including four of murder, related to the July Uprising. Two separate metropolitan magistrate courts passed the orders after hearing separate petitions, court police inspector Kaiyum Khan said. He said Senior Judicial Magistrate Selina Khatun heard the petitions related to four murder cases filed with Fatullah Police Station, while Senior Judicial Magistrate Maimanah Akter Moni conducted the hearing on a case filed by Sadar Police Station over obstructing government work and assaulting police. Ivy, who has been detained at Kashimpur Central Women’s Jail in Gazipur since her arrest on May 9 in one of the murder cases, joined the proceedings virtually. Although the hearings were initially scheduled for November 13, they were postponed due to the lockdown programme enforced by the banned Awami League. Police had earlier shown her arrested in four more cases after her detention. On November 9, a High Court bench granted her bail in all five cases. However, the following day, Sadar Model Police sought court permission to show her arrested in a separate case involving alleged assaults on police and obstruction of official duties. Fatullah police then filed petitions to show her arrested in four additional cases linked to the student movement casualties. Notably, Ivy is not a named accused in any of the five cases. On Wednesday, the Appellate Division’s Chamber Court stayed the High Court’s bail order. Senior lawyer Awlad Hossain, representing Ivy, argued that none of the arrested accused had implicated her and said the fresh arrest petitions were filed solely to delay her release. He stated that the defence would move the higher court against the orders.