United News of Bangladesh

Four members of a family including a five-year-old boy were killed and eight others injured as a landslide demolished their house in Jaintapur upazila of Sylhet early Monday, said police. The deceased were identified as Jabed Ahmed, 35, his wife Sumi Begum, 30, son Safi Ahmed, 5, and sister-in-law Shamimara Begum, 48, of Satjani village of the upazila. Also read: 2 workers killed in Tangail mini landslide A large chunk of mud from an adjacent hill fell on the house of Jabed around 4:30 am when they were asleep, leaving the four dead on spot and eight others injured, said Golam Dastagir Ahmed, officer-in-charge (OC) of Jaintapur police station. On information, fire service personnel rescued the injured and rushed them to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College and Hospital (SOMCH). Also read:3 children killed in Moulvibazar landslide The landslide was triggered by heavy downpour for the last several days, said the OC. According to locals, 10-12 families have been living at the foot of the hill amid risk of landslide. Landslides occurred at two places in the same area in the last two days but no causalities were reported.

The Kushtia Chief Judicial Magistrate Court has ordered to send three people, including a Councilor of the local municipality, to jail for attacking a headmaster of a local school on Sunday. The accused are—Sohel Rana Asha, 45, son of Afzal Hossain, Md Faruk, 45, son of late Niyamot Ali and Ansar Ali, 35, son of Polan Mondol. All of them are residents of Molla Teghoria area under Kushtia Sadar upazila. Also read: Severing college teacher’s wrist: Seven held in Kushtia Among the convicts, Sohel is the Councilor of Ward No 21 of Kushtia Municipality. According to the court sources, Councilor Sohail was damaging the environment of Kushtia Sadar’s Lahini Secondary School by stockpiling construction materials including sand and bricks on the school’s playground. He was also using the school’s electricity illegally. The attack took place when Nazrul Islam, the headmaster of the school, tried to protest against the Councilor’s unlawful activities. Sohail along with some of his accomplices attacked Nazrul and injured him severely on March 31. Also read: 1 held after Kushtia college girl forced to marry at gunpoint Arrests were made by the police after Nazrul filed a case with Kushtia Model Police Station the next day. Although the convicts came out of jail on bail for six weeks, their request for securing bail once again has been denied by the court this time. “I respect the laws of the land. I believe that laws will follow their own course. I demand proper actions against those who have attacked me”, said Nazrul.  

Police arrested a leader of Companyganj upazila Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) in Sylhet for alleged derogatory remarks on the prime minister on social media. The arrestee was identified as Emdadur Rahman Inzad, Joint Convener of JCD Companyganj committee. Also read: Youth held for making ‘derogatory comments’ against PM in N’ganj  He was arrested Saturday night from his residence following a case filed by Ahmed Reza Rubel, president of Telikhal Union Bangladesh Chhatra league committee, said Sukanta Chakraborty, Officer-in-Charge of Companyganj police station. According to the case complaint, on May 22 the accused posted a status on his Facebook profile degrading the PM over State Minister for Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Imran Ahmed distributing relief among the flood affected people at Companyganj. He wrote, “If vote stealing PM Sheikh Hasina can say popular PM Begum Khaleda Zia should be drowned in the Padma River then we can also say that Hasina should be dropped off from without Hasina's flight after it takes off from Zia International Airport. Thus the country and its people will be freed from vengeful Sheikh Hasina.” Also read: GD filed for making ‘derogatory comments’ on Bangabandhu, PM On May 31, Rubel filed the case under the ICT Act against four people including Inzad and two more anonymous people at Companyganj police station. 

The young man whose Facebook Live broadcast captured the deadly explosion that occurred as fire fighters fought the initial blaze at the BM Container Depot in Sitakunda on Saturday night has, as feared, died. The deceased was identified as Oliur Rahman, son of Ashik Miah of Moulvibazar. He was a young worker at the Container Depot. Oliur remained missing until Sunday noon. Later, his co-workers identified his body at Chattogram Medical College and Hospital (CMCH), confirmed one of his co-workers Ruel. Also read:Firefighter Maniruzzman transferred to Kumira 2 months ago, says uncle Ruel said Oliur might have died from the impact of the blast. He said, “It was dinner time when the explosion occurred. We left the depot for dinner, but Oliur stayed there to make it live on Facebook.” Oliur went live from his Facebook when the massive fire broke out at the container depot in Sitakunda on Saturday night. He was informing everyone about the fire on Facebook Live. The broadcast firefighters and other depot staff struggling to contain the fire. Around 41 minutes into his broadcast, a blast occurs and the screen goes black, indicating whoever was holding the phone had clearly lost control of it. People calling Oliur's phone from that point onwards found it switched off and he went missing. The blast amid the fire is suspected to have also been the cause for the greatest loss of firefighters in a single incident in Bangladesh's history. Oliur’s relatives went to the CMCH to receive his body, said Ruel. “The death toll from the fire climbed to 49 and there were seven fire service members among the deceased,” said Anisur Rahman, deputy director of Fire Service and Civil Defense, while briefing reporters at Chattogram Medical College and Hospital over the deadly fire incident. Besides, over 200 people suffered injuries. Also read: Sitakunda fire exposes fragile state system Chattogram Fire Service and Civil Defense Assistant Director Faruk Hossain Shikdar said a large explosion rocked the area on Saturday night. "The explosion was heard within a radius of 4km from the spot," Faruk added. A total of 15-20 explosions occurred at the depot following the fire, he said. Shahjahan Shikdar, deputy assistant director of Fire Service and Civil Defense headquarters (media), said 13 firefighters are undergoing treatment at Chattogram Combined Military Hospital (CMH).

Firefighter Moniruzzaman, who died in a deadly fire at BM container Depot  in Chattogram Saturday night, was transferred to Kumira Fire Station in Sitakunda  upazila two months ago. Moniruzzaman Monir, 32, son of Shamsul Haque of Langalkot in Cumilla district, joined the Fire Service eight years ago. Moniruizzaman’s  uncle Mir Hossain, who came  to Chattogram Medical College Hospital to identify the body, broke down in tears while talking to the UNB correspondent . Also read: Massive fire at Ctg container depot: Death toll climbs to 43, over 200 injured Recalling the good moment with Maniruzzaman, Mir Hossain said, “I met Moniruzzaman two days ago and spent a good day with him. He was transferred to Kumira Fire Station two months ago and it seems death brought him there.” “He has a two-month old daughter , don’t know what will happen to his family,” he said. Also read: 2 probe bodies form over Ctg deadly fire

Six people including three officials of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) were killed and 40 others injured as a bus rammed two vehicles at Boliarpur on Dhaka-Aricha highway in Savar Sunday morning. Four of the deceased were identified as BAEC engineer Kawsar Hossain, 33, testing officer Arifuzzaman, 32, scientific officer Puja Sarkar, 33, and bus driver Rajib, 30, said SI Sabur Khan, in-charge of Aminbazar police outpost. The identities of two other deceased couldn’t be known immediately, said he. Of the injured, 15 are undergoing treatment in critical condition at Enam Medical College and Hospital in Savar. According to the police, a speeding bus ploughed through a road divider after its driver lost control over the steering and then crashed into a minibus carrying BAEC staff and a cattle-laden truck at the same time. Also read:Truck driver held after engineer’s death in Bagerhat road crash Three people died on the spot and 40 others sustained injuries, SI Sabur said.   On information, Savar Fire Service members and police reached the spot and rushed the injured to Enam Medical College and Hospital in Savar. Severely injured bus driver Rajib and the two unidentified people died while undergoing treatment there, said hospital sources. Also read: Out on joyride to visit Padma Bridge, 5 killed in Keraniganj road crash The bodies of the deceased were recovered by Savar Police, said the SI.

Rail communications between Dhaka and the northern parts of the country have remained suspended since Sunday noon due to the derailment of a train in Gazipur, officials said. Also read: Commuter train derails in Dinajpur, loco master injured In-charge of Joydebpur Railway Junction Police outpost Shahidul Islam said that four bogies of the freight train veered off the tracks near Joydebpur Railway Station at noon. A number of trains got stranded due to the derailment.

A farmer was killed in a lightning strike at Kamarkona village in Pakundia upazila in Kishoreganj district Saturday noon. Deen Islam, son of Abdul Aowal of the village, was planting paddy on the land near his house when it suddenly started raining. At one point Deen was struck by lightning. Read: Lightning kills 19-year-old in city Locals took him to Pakundia Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared him dead on arrival, said Mohammad Sarwar Jahan, officer-in-charge of Pakundia Police Station. Lightning strikes in Bangladesh Lightning strikes have turned into one of the deadliest natural disasters in Bangladesh claiming over 200 lives each year due to the loss of natural defenses and lack of precautionary measures, say experts. They blame deforestation, worsening air pollution and global warming, climate variability, and the growing use of mobile and other technological devices for the increase in the frequency of lightning strikes. Read: Youth drowns in Padma River According to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, 2,164 people died in lightning strikes in the country from 2011 to 2020. Considering the upward trend, the government in 2016 declared it as a natural disaster, making victims' families eligible for compensation. About 70 percent of the total lightning strikes usually occur between April and June, and farmers like Deen Islam happen to be the most frequent victims, due to the long periods they spend outdoors working in their fields.  

A youth drowned in the Padma River in the Baliaghat area of Dikrirchar union of Faridpur Sadar on Saturday afternoon. The deceased was identified as Md Shakil, 21, son of Md Nuruddin of the Goalchamot area of the town. He worked in an eatery in the town. According to locals, Shakil along with his friends came to visit the Baliaghat area for bathing in the Padma River. At one stage, Shakil was swept away by the current. Shakil’s friend tried to rescue him but failed. Read: Bus-pickup collision leaves 2 dead in Gazipur Later, locals informed the Faridpur fire service. On information, a diving team of Faridpur Fire Service recovered Shakil's body around 4 pm, said Mehedi Hasan, UP chairman of the Dicrirchar Union. Faridpur Fire Service senior station officer Subhash Barai said Shakil's body was found drowning at a distance of about 20 to 25 meters from the place where he had drowned.

Experimental lights were lit up on the much-awaited Padma Bridge on Saturday afternoon.  Dewan Md. Abdul Quader, the executive engineer of Padma Bridge, said they have tested lights at 10-12 lampposts from pillar 14 to pillar 19 at Munshiganj end. Around 5-6 days were needed to experiment with all the lights of lampposts of the bridge, he added.   According to the Padma Bridge authority, lights have been installed at 415 lampposts of the bridge. Also Read: BNP can't accept Padma Bridge: Anisul Huq Munshiganj Palli Bidyut Samity has already completed the work of the electricity connection from the No-1 pillar at Mawa end.    On the other hand, Shariatpur Palli Bidyut Samity has completed the electricity connection work on the bridge at the Jazira end.