United News of Bangladesh

Four teenage girls have been missing since Saturday morning in Badamtoli in Kamalnagar upazila of Laxmipur district, police said on Sunday. The victims were identified as Zobaida Akter, 12, Mitu Akter, 12, Samia Akter Niha, 13 and Shimu Akter, 14. Also read: Missing college student found dead in Rajshahi General diaries were lodged with Kamalnagar Police in connection with the disappearance of four girls on Saturday night, said Mohammad Solaiman, officer-in-charge of Kamalnagar Police Station. The four girls went out on Saturday morning telling their mothers they were going to their maternal grandfather’s house but on Saturday night, Niha’s family came to know that they had not reached their destination. Also read: Ctg cops reunite missing Lakshmipur girls with families Police are conducting a drive to find them, said OC.  

As Eid-ul-Fitr holiday came to an end people from south-western districts started returning to their workstations in the capital but the journey is taking more than 12 hours for many due to gridlock at Daulatdia ferry terminal. Shariful Islam, a trader from Barishal lying on the engine cover of a Dhaka-bound bus on Sunday morning, said he started around 7 pm on Saturday from his house and got on the bus around 9 pm. His bus was standing still three kilometers away from the terminal as he was talking to the UNB reporter. Also read: Dhaka-bound people suffer for 10-km gridlock near Daulatdia Like Shariful, hundreds of passengers were seen waiting to cross the river as the long tailback of vehicles on the Dhaka-Khulna highway crossed six kilometers and kept getting longer by the hour. To decrease the pressure on the terminal police have started stopping vehicles 13 kilometers from the terminal near the Ahladipur area in Rajbari sadar upazila.Hundreds of private vehicles reached the terminal crossing an extra eight-kilometer path from Padmar Mor and Jamidar Bridge area through Ujan Char and Char Daulatdia. Some drivers complained local influential people and brokers were charging extra money from the drivers of goods-laden vehicles with the help of police as they were given priority for crossing the river. Abul Bashar, a fruits trader from Barguna said he started around 8 pm with 22 tonnes of watermelon on a covered van to Dhaka and got stuck in the traffic around 11 pm. He said, “I had to collect a ticket paying Tk 4,000 instead of regular Tk 1,800 as they were allowing us to pass specially. Yet a huge number of my watermelons perished due to long 13 hours of wait amid heat.” According to the Daulatdia office of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), 11, 593 vehicles crossed the Padma River in the last 24 hours till Sunday 6 am through ferry from Daulatdia terminal. Also read: Ferry services resume on Paturia-Daulatdia route after 4 hours Md Shihab Uddin, manager of BIWTA Daulatdia office, said a record number of vehicles have crossed the river from this terminal in 24 hours. “On Saturday noon two of the 21 ferries operating on Daulatdia-Paturia route became disable but both of them resumed operation again in the evening. Currently all the ferries are operating from five terminals but due to worn-out roads and increased pressure of all the vehicles of Shimulia-Banglabazar route there is the long tailback”, said the BIWTA official. Meanwhile, around 30,000 passengers crossed the river by 166 launches from Daulatdia terminal, said Nurul Anwar, spokesperson for Aricha Launch Owners’ Association in Daulatdia. He said after 10 pm Saturday launch trips were reduced considering risk as most of the launches were carrying almost double their capacity of passengers.

A newborn has been rescued from the sewerage pipe of Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital after her mother gave birth in a toilet of the maternity ward, the hospital’s director said on Sunday. The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon when Shilpi Begum accidentally delivered the baby girl on a high commode of the toilet. Also read: Woman gives birth on running Dhaka-bound train The prematurely born baby slipped toilet’s pipeline and got stuck some metres below,, said baby’s father Neyamat Ullah, a fisher from Swarupkathi upazila in Pirojpur. He said,” I went out to bring some medicines after the doctor decided to conduct a c section surgery for delivering the baby. As I returned, I saw people crowding around the toilet and my relatives crying.” “They described to me the whole incident. I could hear my baby crying from inside the pipe but was unable to bring her out,” said he. The hospital immediately informed the nearby Fire Service office to rescue the baby. But before they arrived Neyamat broke the  pipe on the second floor of the hospital building and rescued the baby who suffered slight bruises. Also read: Woman who sold newborn to foot hospital bills, gets him back Baby’s mother Shilpi said she didn’t realise when she gave birth due to severe labour pain. “The rescued baby is currently admitted at Special Care Newborn Units (SCANU) and the mother at the maternity ward. We are giving top priority to their treatment,” said Dr HM Saiful Islam, Director of SBMCH.

A 54-year-old woman has been stabbed to death allegedly by her husband at Chandnaish upazila in Chattogram. The deceased was identified as Rezia Begum, wife of rickshaw puller Abdus Sattar of the upazila. Also read:Ctg cops reunite missing Lakshmipur girls with families Locals said the couple had an altercation at their home in West Elahabad area on Saturday evening. At one stage, Abdus Sattar stabbed his wife with a sharp weapon and fled the scene. Later, Rezia was admitted to Chattogram Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) where she succumbed to her injuries early Sunday, said Md Anwar Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Chandnaish police station. Also read: 12-year-old dies as house ceiling collapses in Ctg Efforts are on to arrest the husband, he added. Besides, family members of the deceased are being interrogated, the OC added.

Three people were arrested over killing of a 60-year-old man during a clash over offering prayer at a mosque in Mohanganj upazila in Netrakona.  The arrestees were identified as Waliullah, Nizam, and Kanchan, said Rashedul Hasan, Officer-in-Charge of Mohonganj police station.  The arrestees were produced before court on Sunday, he said.  The accused were arrested on Friday night after Alamgir Hossain, son of deceased Moti Mia, 60, filed a murder case accusing 22 people and several more anonymous people, said OC Rashedul Hasan.  Also Read: Attempted rape victim commits suicide in Bogura: 2 arrested The incident occurred on Friday at Kewardighi village at Samaj-Sahildeo union parishad over delivering sermon after jum’a prayer at a village mosque.  The supporters of Nurul Islam, president of the mosque committee and former Union Parishad member, clashed with Abu Shahin Akhand, general secretary of the committe.  During the clash Abu Shahin’s uncle Moti Mia died on the spot, said OC Rashedul Hasan.       

Eid holidaymakers have been suffering since Saturday morning to cross the Padma River as a 10-kilometer long tailback was created on Dhaka-Khulna highway and regional road adjacent to Daulatdia ferry terminal. Hundreds of Dhaka-bound passengers thronged the ferry terminal after celebrating Eid with dear and near ones in the village home. But due to a shortage of ferries and rush of Dhaka-bound  passenger, a long traffic jam was created on the highway and regional road connected to the ferry ghat. Hundreds of vehicles were stranded on the road and  people had to wait for five to seven hours in Goalanda for crossing the river. BIWTC officials said the tailback was created near Daulatdia ferry terminal due to huge number of private cars as people were returning to Dhaka to join the office on Sunday. The authorities are trying to reduce the traffic gridlock  but nothing works properly due to the extra pressure of vehicles. Also read: Return rush at Paturia ferry terminal Rafiqul Islam, a job holder of a private company in Dhaka said, he along with his family celebrated Eid in his village home in Faridpur. The vehicle distance between his home and Daulatdia ghat is only 40 minutes. He started the journey in the morning and remained stuck in traffic jam for seven hours. Many people were seen going to the ferry terminal on foot as they wanted to avoid long traffic jam on the Dhaka-Khulna highway. Garment worker Parul said, “After Eid vacation, my office will reopen tomorrow (Sunday). But I am stranded on the road near the ferry ghat for hours. Probably, I will not get enough time for taking rest before starting the office tomorrow morning." Also read: Ferry services resume on Paturia-Daulatdia route after 4 hours Daulatdia ghat police station officer-in-charge Swapan Kumar Majumder said an additional 200 police members have been deployed at the ghat. They are patrolling at various points of the highway and are working to reduce  traffic jams, he said.

Khulna City Corporation Mayor Talukear Abdul Khaleque was hospitalised with high fever on Saturday. The 69-year old KCC mayor was admitted to Shaheed Sheikh Abu Naser Specialised hospital in Khulna around 11 am, said Prakash Chandra, Residential Medical Officer (RMO) of the hospital. “The mayor was admitted to the hospital in unconscious condition , said the RMO. Also read: KCC employee invents soundless ‘easy fogger’ to kill mosquitoes He has been suffering from heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and last year he underwent a surgery in the prostate gland, said RMO Prakash Chandra. He is currently being treated at the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital and the hospital authority formed a medical board with one doctor from each department  for his treatment,” he said. Also read: TK 637.09 crore KCC budget announced

A 30-year-old man was beaten to death allegedly by his uncle and three of his family members in Batiaghata upazila of Khulna district on Friday. The deceased was identified as Halim Fakir, a resident of the Batiaghata upazila . According to the family of the deceased, Halim was beaten by his uncle Babul Fakir, his wife Aleya Begum, and two sons-in-law Iqbal Hossain and Wahidur at Surkhali Bazar area of ​​the upazila over a trifling matter. Also read: Teen tied to tree, beaten up in Cumilla Later, locals rushed Halim to Gazi Medical College Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. They also caught Babul Fakir, Aleya Begum, Iqbal Hossain and Wahidur and handed them over to police. Officer-in-charge of Batiaghata Police Station Zayed said Halim died at Gazi Medical College Hospital on Friday night while undergoing treatment there. Also read: 1 beaten to death, 2 injured in Bogura No one from his family has yet lodged any complaint, he said.

A private university student was killed and two of his friends were hurt as a truck hit their bike in Bogura's Fuldighi Friday. The deceased Bappy, 25, was a student of the American International University Bangladesh (AIUB) and from Fuldighi of Shajahanpur upazila, according to police. His friends Pial and Ovi are undergoing treatment at Bogura Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital. The accident occurred on Dhaka- Bogura highway at 7:15pm as Bappy and his friends were heading to Bonani from Fuldighi on a motorcycle, Shajahanpur Police Station Sub-Inspector Mizanur Rahman said. Also Read: Two killed in Khulna road accidents "They were hit while trying to overtake a speeding truck, leaving all three critically injured. Bappy died on the spot," he added. "We seized the truck while its driver and helper managed to flee."

Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested a youth with 63kg hemp in Faridpur Friday night.  The arrestee was identified as Ripan Ali, 28, a resident of Baradi village of Meherpur.  Rab also seized a truck, three mobile phones, and four SIM cards from his possession.      Also Read: Drug peddlers held with 32kg hemp According to a press release, the elite force led by deputy assistant director Rafiqul Islam of Rab-8, Faridpur camp, detained the shipment of hemp by setting up a check post in front of Karimpur Highway Police Camp on Magura-Faridpur highway.  Ripan Ali, later was handed over to police and a narcotic case was filed with Kotwali police station, added the Rab official.