United News of Bangladesh

The workers of Barapukuria Coal Mine continued their demonstrations for the second consecutive day on Thursday at the entrance of the coal mine to press home their two-point demand including payment of eight months’ arrears. On Wednesday, the workers along with their families staged demonstrations demanding the authorities allow the workers to return to work and pay their due wages before Eid-ul-Fitr. Also read: Barapukuria coal mine workers stage demo demanding arrears The workers have been holding different programmessince March to press home their demands. Meanwhile, another 400 workers who have been working locked inside the mine compound due to Covid situation for the last two years were staging demonstrations from inside to allow them work coming from home. Robiul Islam Robi, president of Barapukuria Coal Mine Miners' and Workers' Union said,” around 11,00 local miners excavate coal from the mine under three Chinease contractor companies CMC, XMC and JXMC.” “Of them 700 were supposed to get monthly Tk 4,000 each as allowance during their lay off due to Covid-19 pandemic but in the last 8 months they neither received any allowances nor were allowed to rejoin work.” Also read: Barapukuria Coal Mine workers give 72 hour-ultimatum for payment of arrears Meanwhile, the contracting companies forced 400 workers to stay inside the mine and work without allowing them to meet their families, he said. “To resolve the crisis the administration and the mine authority have not taken any steps yet,” said Abu Sufian, General Secretary of the workers’ union.

A worker was killed and 20 others were injured when an under-construction bridge collapsed at Baradam on Asambasti-Kaptai road in Rangamati on Thursday. The deceased was identified as Md Rafiq. Locals said the bridge collapsed while around 40 workers were working on the bridge at 10am. Also read:Bridge turns into death trap in Khulna On information, fire service men rescued the workers. Fourteen workers were sent to Rangamati Sadar Hospital in critical condition. Another six workers were sent to Rangamati General Hospital where doctors declared Rafiq dead, said Dr Shawkat Akbar Chowdhury, resident physician of the hospital. Kabir Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Rangamati Kotwali police station, said the cause of the accident will be revealed after an investigation. Also read: Barguna: Poorly planned bridges render re-excavated canal unnavigable Meanwhile, injured workers alleged that the bridge collapsed due to use of substandard materials. The workers also demanded punishment of the contractor.

The largest Eid congregation at Sholakia Eidgah Maidan in Kishoreganj will be held at 10am on Eid day, after a Covid-induced hiatus of two years. Kishoreganj deputy commissioner Md Shamim Alam, also the president of the Eidgah Management Committee, said this on Thursday after inspecting the maidan ahead of the 195th Eid-ul-Fitr prayers. Also read: Thick security blanket for Eid Jamaat at Sholakia Eidgah Maidan Maulana Farid Uddin Masud will lead the Eid congregation and Maulana Shoaib bin A Rauf will be the standby Imam. Worshipers will be allowed to enter the maidan with only prayer mats and masks. They will, however, be allowed to carry their mobile phones.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) on Thursday claimed to have detained two Rohingya refugees with drugs worth Tk 6.40 crore in Cox’s Bazar. The detainees have been identified as Sirajul Isalm, 28, son of Abul Kashem, a resident of Mochni camp, and Syed Salam, 38, son of Faruk Ahmed of Jadimora camp in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar. Also read:One more arrested over six-murder in Rohingya camp Over a kg of crystal meth and some 40,000 pieces of Yaba have been seized from their possession, the BGB said in a release. Tipped off, a team of BGB-2 conducted a drive at Jaliardwip along the Naf River and detained the two along with the drugs, said commanding officer of BGB-2, Lieutenant Colonel Sheikh Khalid Mohammad Iftekhar. Also read: Rohingya mason killed in Ukhia camp The BGB also seized a boat, one cell phone and few fishing nets from their possession. "Legal steps will soon be taken against the detainees,” said Khalid.

A serpentine queue of vehicles has triggered chaos at Paturia ferry ghat in Manikganj. Since morning, over 300 private vehicles, mostly cars, have been waiting in line at the popular ferry ghat to cross the Padma river ahead of Eid. Also read: Mad rush of homebound people at Shimulia ferry ghat Private cars are stranded in the Tepra area of Dhaka-Aricha highway, 10 kms ahead of Paturia terminal. There's a separate lane at ferry terminal no-5 for these vehicles. Besides, around 100 buses and 100 trucks are also waiting at the terminal to cross the river, although the movement of all goods-laden trucks will remain suspended for three days ahead of Eid. These trucks have been stranded at the terminal for the last three days and so the authorities are letting these heavy vehicles cross the river, said Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) DGM Shah Md Khaled Newaz. Also read:Paturia ghat sees huge crowd; Passengers suffer as 2 ferries remain inoperative “If the pressure of vehicles increases further, more ferries could be pressed into service," said DGM Khaled. Meanwhile, the authorities concerned of the ferry terminal are struggling a lot to manage the huge rush of home-bound people as 19 ferries of 21 ferries are currently operating on the Paturia-Daulatdia route.

A 65-year-old man was killed and 15 others hurt in a turf war between two groups of villagers in Faridpur's Saltha Wednesday night. The deceased, Nannu Fakir, was from the village Jadunandi. Supporters of Jadunandi's Qaium Mollah and Shona Mia from Boalmari's Rupapat had a brawl over a trifling issue and engaged in sporadic clashes, said Md Suminur Rahman, assistant superintendent (Nagarkanda-Saltha Circle) of Faridpur police. During this time, Nannu Fakir died after being hit by brick chips, he added. "Additional police have been deployed at the area to ward off further trouble."

A 27-year-old referee, critically injured in an attack during a football match in Sylhet's Golapganj, died at a Dhaka hospital Wednesday after undergoing treatment for two months. The deceased, Abu Sufian, was from Ronkeli Nayagram of the municipality, said Golapganj Police Station Sub-Inspector (SI) Faizul Karim. On February 18, a fight between the supporters of Nayagram and Nurupara took place during a match organised by Ronkeli Tiger Club at Nurupara Rangai Bichra ground of ward-9. Tarifur Rahman, 25, was killed, and three others were critically injured after the fight broke out between football fans. Abu Sufian becomes the second victim of the tragic incident. Tahmidur Rahman, elder brother of Tarifur from ward-7 of the Ronkeli Nayagram, filed a case at Golapganj Police Station against 11 people, the SI said. "After that, the police arrested four people. However, the main accused are still on the loose," he added.

Two minor children drowned in a pond at Muladi in Sadar upazila of Barishal on Wednesday morning. The deceased were identified as six-month-old boy Ariyan Khan, son of Sumon Khan, and his cousin two-year-old girl Sarika Aktar, daughter of Abdul Jabbar of Chardakatia village of the upazila. READ: 2 children drown in pond in Narayanganj The two children fell into the pond while playing around 11 am, said Md Yusuf, sub-inspector (SI) of Muladi police station. Later, local people found the floating bodies of the two children around 2pm and took them to Upazila Health Complex where doctors declared them dead, the SI added.

Several thousand homebound people thronged Shimulia ferry terminal on Wednesday morning to cross the Padma River  five days ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr. The authorities concerned of the ferry terminal are struggling a lot to manage the huge rush of home bound people as only seven ferries are operating now instead of 18-21. Also read:Paturia ghat sees huge crowd; Passengers suffer as 2 ferries remain inoperative People were seen waiting at the ferry terminal for several hours amid the scorching heat. Talking to UNB, some passengers said this year the number of ferries is less than the previous year and they are going to their homes today to avoid mad rush.

The workers of Barapukuria Coal Mine along with their families staged demonstrations on Wednesday at the entrance of the coal mine to press home their two-point demand including payment of eight months’ arrears. According to the workers, some 700 workers are struggling as their eight months’ wages were not paid by the authorities. “Moreover, after sending them home due to Covid-19 two years have passed and the situation has become normal but they are not being allowed to join work yet,” said Abu Sufian, General Secretary of Barapukuria Coal Mine Miners' and Workers' Union. Read: Bangladesh bidi workers demand wage hike A total of 400 workers instead of 1100 are working inside the mine while the rest others were not allowed to join work. Besides, workers were also staging demonstrations in another entrance of the mine demanding to allow them to go home and work from there. On January 30, this year, coal extraction was suspended temporarily at Barapukuria Coal Mine after around 125 Bangladeshi officials and 50 Chinese officials, including the managing director tested positive for COVID-19.