United News of Bangladesh

Aman paddy and jute growers of Thakurgaon district have become worried due to drought-like situation for lack of rains which is hampering timely jute harvesting and Aman cultivation. Paddy, jute, maize, wheat and sugarcane are grown aplenty in the district due to its fertile soil. But this year, jute growers have been facing problem to rot and process the natural fibre due to lack of rains even during the monsoon. The jute growers are not harvesting their jute as there is lack of adequate water to rot it. Every year, they harvest jute and keep those under water for rotting in this season, said farmers. If jute is not harvested now Aman growers will not be able to cultivate Aman paddy on  the same land on time, which may lead to food crisis, they said. Aman farmers in the district mostly depend on rainwaters for cultivation. According to government data, there are no irrigation facilities in 50 percent of Aman land. According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE), this year, a total of 1,465 hectares of land have been brought under jute cultivation this year which was 1,222 hectares last year. Besides, this year, the government has set a target to cultivate Aman paddy on 1,37,025 hectares of land with a target to produce 3,97,450 metric tonnes of paddy. Usually farmers cultivate Aman paddy from July 1 to July 31 but this year, the aman growers failed to prepare Aman seedbed even in the second week of July. Mafijul Islam, a farmer of Sadar upazila, said “Rains drenched the district in June. I have prepared my land for Aman cultivation but there is no sign of rains now.” Also read: 129 countries to see increased droughts within next few decades

Medicare services of ICU and HDU units at Chuadanga sadar hospital remain suspended for around nine months due to lack of manpower causing a grave concern in the district as the fourth wave of the Covid-19 has already started in the country. Residents of the district have urged the concerned authorities to take necessary measures to open the life-saving units further taking into account the prevailing situation.  Sources said one ‘Sajeda Foundation’ inked a deal with the hospital authority on March 21 last year that they would treat ICU and HDU patients with their own manpower and necessary equipment including ventilator for a period of two months.    As per the deal, the foundation set up 6 ICU beds, 8 HDU beds, two ventilators and other equipment on the third floor of the hospital’s new building later. A team of 44 members of the foundation including 10 physicians, 14 ICU staff nurses, 7 ward boys, one each lab technologist and  X-ray technologist and others started treating patients especially for Covid-19 from July 26 last year. Though local lawmaker and heroic freedom fighter Solaiman Haque Joarder formally inaugurated the units on August 07 last year, the foundation engaged itself in serving patients much earlier.  The hospital authority said providing the ICU and HDU services to patients with the equipment have been halt for shortage of manpower for last nine months as the foundation left the hospital with their manpower after end of the tenure of the deal. Read: Baby snake killed after bit by 16 months old in Chuadanga Aminu Islam and Abdul Kader, treatment seekers who came at the hospital told this correspondent that they were very happy to learn about launch of the ICU and HDU units at the hospital last year as there was no ICU bed at any government and private hospitals in the district. Expressing grave concern over the closure of the two units after two months of launching, they have urged the prime minister to open the life-saving units soon permanently. Dr Nafiz Ullah, who performed duty as residential physician at the ICU unit during the tenure, told the UNB that the foundation provided patients with the ICU and HDU services with its own manpower and instruments for the two months as per the deal during the Covid pandemic in Chuadanga.  After the expire of tenure of the contract, the foundation donated the instrument of the units to the hospital authority and all manpower left, he said adding that they in a survey found activities of the units remain suspended owing to shortage of manpower.   The equipment including the expensive ventilators will go out of order if these lay idly for long, he said. Dr Ataur Rahman, Caretaker of Chuadanga sadar hospital, told this correspondent that he was not attached to the hospital when the foundation treated patients and donated the equipment. He said the units remain closed due to shortage of skilled manpower and other factors. We sent a letter to health ministry to take necessary measures to run the units further considering the current situation, Dr Ataur added. 

Some 3,500 families of ten villages in Shyamnagar upazila have been flooded following the breakdown of a portion of the Kholpetua river dam due to the current of tidewater. The affected people especially women and children have been suffering from an acute crisis of food, drinking water and sanitation. Read: Maximum temperature at 38 degrees, rains likely tomorrowMoreover, a thousand acres of fish enclosures and crops were washed away due to the tidewater resulting in a huge loss of farmers.Locals said the 200 feet embankment, built for the protection of coastal areas collapsed due to high tide on July 14, causing immense suffering to thousands of people of nearly 3,500 families.Locals feared that the new areas of the upazila will be flooded if the damaged embankment is not renovated very soon.

A police member was killed after a bus hit his motorcycle on Rajshahi-Naogaon highway under Rajshahi’s Mohanpur upazila on Saturday at about 11:30am. The deceased has been identified as Jewel Hossain, 31, son of Mohidur Rahman from Kurkuti village of No 9 Tetulia union under Naogaon’s Manda upazila. Jewel used to work as a Constable at Adamdighi police station of Bogura district. Sultana Ruma, 26, wife of the deceased, has also been seriously injured in the accident. She is currently undergoing treatment at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH). Read: Joyride turns tragic, university student killed in Narayanganj accident According to eyewitnesses, Jewel was coming to Rajshahi from Naogaon on a motorbike, while his wife Sultana was riding pillion on it. A Naogaon-bound bus hit Jewel’s motorcycle at a turning point near Sakoa village, causing him to die on the spot. Tauhidul Islam, Officer In-charge of Mohanpur police station, said that police have seized the bus, although the driver managed to flee. “Efforts are on to nab the bus driver,” said the OC.

The massive fire which broke out at a slum in Dewanhat Postar Par area of Double Mooring police station of Chattogram has been brought under control after an hour. Farooq Sikder, assistant director of Fire Service, said the fire was brought under control around 9:15 pm. The fire originated at a shanty of the slum around 8:10 pm. Read: Fire guts 4 thatched houses in Dhaka On information, three firefighting units rushed in and they along with locals worked for almost an hour to bring the fire under control. The reason behind the fire and the extent of the damage are yet to be known, added the officer.

A sexagenarian day-labourer died after being hit by a speedy train at Chetashahar Ghunti area under Nilpahamari Sadar upazila on Saturday at about 6:30pm. The deceased has been identified as Khetu Mamud, 65, from Boubazar Begpara village under the upazila. According to Mahfuzar Rahman Shah, Councillor of ward no 6 of Nilphamari municipality, Khetu was returning home after work when the Khulna-bound Rupsha Express train hit him, causing him to die instantly. Read: 2 crushed under train in Gazipur Shafiul Islam, Officer In-charge of Saidpur railway police station, said that police have visited the spot. “Necessary steps will be taken if we get any complaint from the deceased’s family,” said the OC.

The government has allocated assistance to repair or rebuild just 6,000 houses damaged in the recent floods in Sylhet, even though more than 40,000 houses were damaged. According to the government's own figures, 40,091 houses were damaged in Sylhet district. In reality, the number of damaged houses is believed to be even higher. That means only 15 percent of damaged house owners received the grant. According to the district administration, a total of 4,84,383 families were affected by the flood in Sylhet. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has allocated Tk 5 crore for the construction of damaged houses. And of that allocation, Tk 10,000 each has been distributed to 5,000 affected house owners. Besides, the government has allocated more than Tk 60 lakh and 2000 bundles of Corrugated iron sheets that were distributed among a further 1,000 affected house owners. Meanwhile, Dilu Miah, a resident of Shimultala Guchhgram of Companiganj Upazila, said he cannot repair the house like other victims in this area as he didn’t receive any government grants. Read: Almost 3,500 families marooned in Satkhira Sylhet Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md Mojibur Rahman said all the affected houses listed by the government will get financial assistance. The Finance Ministry's Social Development Foundation (SDF) is allocating Tk 6 crore for the construction of houses in Kanaighat and Goainghat upazilas of the district soon, he said. “In phases, the affected house owners will get the assistance to reconstruct the houses.” Sylhet was hit by the first round of floods last May. After that, the flood hit this region again on June 15. The flood situation remains unchanged in at least 30 percent of the district.  

At least 65km of the road network has been badly damaged due to the recent flooding in Sylhet City Corporation. According to the officials of the Road and Highways Department, LGED and City Corporation, the roads have been affected most during the flood. And even after the roads were submerged, traffic movement continued. As a result, the amount of damage has increased, they said. There are two important roads in the city corporation area. One of them is Sunamganj road starting from Ambarkhana and the other is Subhani Ghat road via Kumarpara. Both the roads went underwater and were badly damaged during the flood. Noor Azizur Rahman, a chief engineer of Sylhet City Corporation, said more than a hundred roads in the city area have become unfit to use. Besides, all the roads along the Surma River have been damaged. "The total loss amounts to Tk 200 crore,” said Azizur". Read: Flood situation worsens in Sylhet; low-lying areas in city inundated He said that the more damaged roads are being repaired at some places. However, not everything has been done yet. Advocate Saleh Ahmad Salim, councilor of Ward No. 22 of Sylhet City Corporation, said that there are 108 roads in his ward. All roads have been affected by the recent flooding. He demanded that the damaged road be repaired as soon as possible to ease the suffering of the people. Meanwhile, the city mayor and chief engineer have talked to the road officials to repair the damaged roads as early as possible.

A girl child was born during a road accident that has left three of her  family members including parents dead on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway. The tragic accident occurred around 2:30 pm on Saturday near court building area in Trishal upazila , said Md Main Uddin, Officer-in-Charge of Trishal police station. The deceased were identified as Jahangir Alam, 35, his wife Ratna Begum, 26, and their daughter Jannat Ara,2, from Raymani village in the upazila. Also read: Road crashes claim 23 lives in nine districts According to locals, Jahangir Alam went  Trishal upazila headquarter with his eight-month pregnant wife and daughter for conducting a medical test of his wife. While crossing the highway a speeding Mymenshingh-bound truck knocked them down, leaving all three family members dead on the spot, said police. Miraculously the baby girl was born before the mother died on the road and she was taken to upazila health complex by locals, said OC Main Uddin. Also read: 4 killed, 15 injured in Tangail road crash “The girl sustained minor injuries and she is now being treated at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital. The truck has been seized and a case will be filed in this regard,” said the OC.

Hospitalization of children with fever, diarrhoea and itching is on the rise in the district  due to heat wave that is sweeping different parts of the country. “At least 400 to 500 children took treatment every day at outdoor unit in the last seven days. Most of the children came with   cold, fever, diarrhoea, itching and other diseases caused by excessive hot weather,” said Dr Mrityunjay Saha Swapan of Dr Zahed Memorial Child Hospital, the lone pediatric hospital in the district. Also read: No respite from heatwave in next 24 hour During a visit to the hospital on Saturday, the UNB correspondent found parents from suburb and sadar upazila were crowding the specialised hospital with their sick children.