United News of Bangladesh

Three fishermen, who went missing after a trawler capsized in the Bay of Bengal off the Barguna coast Tuesday, were found dead on Wednesday. The deceased were identified as Ibrahim, 28, son of Hossain Ali, Monir, 22, son of Tota Mia, and Sarwar, 25, son of Abdul Kuddus Munshi of Patharghata upazila of the district. Read: Entire crew of 25 rescued after fishing trawler capsizes in Bay On Tuesday, ‘FB Allahr Dan’ with 11 fishermen on board capsized in the Bay off the coast of the South Ashar Char area of Patharghata due to inclement weather, said Golam Mostafa Chowdhury, president of the District Trawler Owners' Association. The three fishermen went missing while eight others managed to swim ashore. Read: 2 fishermen drown as their trawler capsizes in sea A rescue team on another trawler launched a search operation and the ill-fated vessel was found off the coast of the Laldiar Char area on Wednesday morning. The three bodies were found inside, he added.

A fishing trawler capsized in the Bay of Bengal on Monday night after it hit a sunken ship beside the second buoy area of the Payra port. It was learned that the incident occurred at around 9 pm when the trawler was preparing to cast its net in the area. According to the rescued fishermen, they could feel the trawler hitting something under water and then it capsized. All the fish and net went under water along with the trawler. However, all the 25 fishermen on the boat were rescued by another nearby trawler, they said. Read: Brahmanbaria trawler capsize: death toll climbs to 23 Fisherman Hochen of the capsized trawler said that a group of 25 fishermen from Mahipur went to the sea to catch Hilsa fishes. “There was a loud noise and in the matter of moments the trawler went under water, we tried to bring it ashore but the sea was rough,” he said Supervisor of the trawler A. Rahim Khan claimed that in 2020, a container ship from Chattogram going to Payra Port sank in that area. But no danger sign with buoy was hoisted to mark the spot, which is why fishermen are getting into trouble again and again.  

A person was killed in a road accident in Patuakhalias as an easy-bike fell into a paddy field with passengers, on Tuesday morning. The deceased was identified as Ripon Abdullah, 45, driver of the easy-bike and son of Md Abdur Rob Gazi of Salimpur village in Kalapara Nilganj. The accident occurred as the driver lost control due to heavy rain and strong winds on Patuakhali-Kuakata highway in the Yushubpur culvert area of Mahipur of the district. Read: Traffic police killed in city road crash Officer-in-charge of Mahipur police station said the easy-bike was traveling from Kalapara to Kuakata with seven passengers in the morning. Due to heavy rain and strong winds, the driver lost control and fell into a paddy field by the road. The driver died on the spot but the injured passengers were able to leave for their respective destinations after taking first aid locally, the OC added. Read: 273 killed on roads during Eid rush; highest in 6 years Police recovered the body of the deceased and sent it to Patuakhali Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy. An unnatural death case was filed in this regard.

A man was sentenced a total of 72-years imprisonment on Tuesday for the kidnapping and rape of a ninth-grade student in Joypurhat in 2018. District Women and Child Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Md Rustom Ali passed the order comprising 60-years in jail with a fine of Tk 17 lakh for the rape and 12 years for the kidnapping. The convict is Abdul Momin Akhand, 25, resident of Bambu union in Joypurhat sadar upazila. Read: Minor girl reportedly raped in Chattogram According to the complaint, on September 3, 2018, Abdul Momin abducted the victim from in front of her school in Dharki-Borail Para area with six assistants and later raped her serially. On September 5, the victim’s father filed a kidnapping and rape case against six at Joypurhat police station. After three months of the incident, police rescued the victim during a drive and arrested accused Abdul Momin. Read: 'Only mindset change can eradicate rape culture in Bangladesh' On December 31, 2018, police submitted charge sheet against Momin and spared all the other accused.

One fisherman died and another 23 were rescued after two fishing trawlers capsized in the Bay of Bengal in rough weather on Tuesday, The trawlers had 24 fishermen on board when they sank at Office Kella off Dublar Char of Bagerhat district during a storm. The deceased was identified as Ruhul Amin Khan, 45, owner of a trawler and son of Ishak Khan of Patharghata upazila of Barguna district. His body was recovered by other fishermen the forest department’s help. Prolad Chandra Roy, who is in charge of Dublarchar camp of Sundarbans East zone patrol station, confirmed the incident.

A medical technologist (lab) at Khulna General Hospital has decamped allegedly with around Tk 2.5 crore  collected from corona tests of people going abroad. The accused has been identified as Prokash Kumar Das, 45, Khulna Civil Surgeon Dr Niaz Mohammad confirmed on Tuesday. He said his office is preparing to file a case against him. Sources at Civil Surgeon’s office said Prakash was in charge of collecting the fees for Covid-19 test samples taken from the people going abroad. He had been manipulating the number of people taking the tests since July 2 in 2020 to gain illegal financial benefits, according to the allegation. Suspecting foul play, an inquiry committee was formed against Prakash on 22 August. According to the inquiry report, the amount deposited was about Tk 2.58 lakh less than the amount that was supposed to be received. Later, an explanation was sought from him on 22 September and he promised to provide it the following day. Since then he has been missing, the office said Civil surgeon Dr Niaz said the amount of embezzled money was about Tk2.58 crore. The Department of Health and the Health Ministry have already been informed of the incident.

Two girl students -- both cousins -- of a government school in Kushtia have tested positive for Covid. The IX and X graders of Khoksa Janipur Pilot Girls' School in Kushtia Sadar underwent Covid-19 tests on Saturday after they showed symptoms of the virus -- fever and sore throat. The results came a day later. Read: Five girl students contract Covid in Thakurgaon school Headmistress Salma Khatun said that the two girl students -- both cousins -- probably contracted coronavirus at home as some of their family members "are down with Covid". "All students of our school may have to undergo tests for Covid," she told UNB. Akmal Hossain, the guardian of the ninth grader, also admitted that six members of their family are Covid-positive. Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Kamruzzaman said that they can arrange Covid tests for free if the school authorities want the same for their students. Read: Schoolgirl dies with Covid symtomps in Manikganj Upazila Secondary Education Officer Nazmul Haque said that the information has been conveyed to the Health Ministry in Dhaka. On September 22, within two weeks of the reopening of schools in the country, a primary school in Gopalganj’s Kathalipara upazila closed its doors for class three students after one of their classmates tested positive for Covid-19. A day later in Manikganj, an eighth-grader, who had been suffering from suspected Covid symptoms of fever, sore throat and shortness of breath, died. Read: Class postponed as student gets Covid in Gopalganj On September 24, it was reported that five students of classes IV and V at a primary school in Thakurgaon sadar upazila tested positive for Covid. On September 12, after nearly 18 months, primary, secondary, and higher secondary schools in Bangladesh reopened with some Covid-safety protocols in place.

A 30-year-old man was killed and four others were injured after lightning struck a tea stall in Atwari upazila of Panchagarh on Monday night. The deceased was identified as Ranjit Barman, son of Bhujen Barman, a resident of the Roseya Durga Mandir area of the upazila's Randhanagar union. Read: Lightning kills two in Kurigram The injured have been identified as Ganesh, 45, Kulin, 45, Paritosh, 32, and Bhabesh, 55, of the same area. Police said that the five were having tea at the roadside stall in the Durga Mandir area in the night when they were struck by a bolt of lightning during heavy rains. The five were immediately rushed to Atwari Upazila Health Complex by local residents, where doctors declared Ranjit dead on arrival. Read: 2 killed by lightning strike in Manikganj Bhabesh was subsequently shifted to Thakurgaon Adhunik Sadar Hospital as his condition deteriorated. Md Ijaruddin, officer-in-charge of Atwari police station, said the other three injured are currently undergoing treatment at the upazila health complex.

A 100-kg Baghair (devil catfish) has been put on sale in Sylhet’s Lalbazar. Fish trader Md. Alauddin who brought the giant fish to the bazar on Monday has put an asking price of Tk 1 lakh on the fish. The fish was caught by fishermen from the Kushiyara river in Fenchuganj upazila, from whom Alauddin bought it for Tk 80,000, he said. READ: 60kg Baghair fish on sale in Sylhet's Lalbazar Meanwhile, people crowded to see the giant fish at the bazar. Adding that eight people already showed interest to buy the fish in portions, Alauddin said he plans on selling each kg at Tk 1500-2000 on Tuesday, if the whole fish remains unsold on Monday. READ: What a catch! Goalanda fisherman earns Tk 25,000 with one Catla 

A mob lynched a woman and injured another on suspicion that they were snatchers, police said on Monday. The mob attack on the women occurred on Sunday at Boro Balmantachar in Nawabganj upazila in Dhaka, according to police. The dead had been identified as Runa Akter, 45, wife of Purok Mia of Nasirbag in Brahmanbaria district. The second woman identified as Popy, 20 was undergoing treatment at the upazila health complex. Also read: Mob beats man to death suspecting him of being a thief  The two women snatched a gold chain from Zahura Begum, a resident of Boro Balmantarchar village, as she was waiting in a queue for taking Covid jabs at a local centre on Sunday afternoon, said Sirajul Islam Sheikh, officer-in-charge of Nawabganj Police Station,  Zahura’s husband Hazrat Ali caught the two women with the help of local people. The two females were taken to the house of Zuhra, where they were mercilessly beaten, also joined by local people. Also read: 2 ‘robbers’ killed in Habiganj lynch-mob attack Runa was declared dead by doctors after the badly mauled women were taken to a local hospital.  Her body was sent to Mitford hospital on Monday for post-mortem. Police arrested Zuhra while her husband Hazrat Ali escaped. The OC said legal action will be taken against those involved in the mob-beating.