United News of Bangladesh

Preparations are in full swing at Sholakia Eidgah Maidan in Kishoreganj for the return of the country’s largest Eid-ul-Fitr congregation after a Covid-induced hiatus of two years. This will be the 195th Eid congregation of Sholakia Eidgah, the largest Eid Jamaat in Asia. The Islamic Foundation had banned all Eid congregations in the open and at Eidgah Maidan to prevent the outbreak of Covid-19 in the country in the last two years. According to the Sholakia Eidgah managing committee, a four-tier security system has been put in place to ensure the safety of the devotees. Read: Ashrayan-2: About 33, 000 homeless families get homes as PM's Eid gift Mashrukur Rahman Khaled, superintendent of Kishoreganj Police, said that the entire Sholakia Eidgha Maidan has been brought under a thick security blanket. A total of five platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will be deployed besides Rapid Action Battalion (Rab), police and detectives. Apart from CCTV cameras, drones will be deployed to keep an eagle eye on the ground.

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) on Tuesday claimed to have arrested a militant leader from Narail district on Monday. The arrestee has been identified as Md Russel Sheikh Salman, son of Md Robiul Islam Robi of Taltola in Narail. He is the divisional leader of the banned militant outfit Ansar al-Islam, according to Rab. Acting on a tip-off, a special team of Rab-6 conducted a drive in the Taltola area of Sadar upazila around 4pm on Monday and arrested Russel. Also read: Ansar Al Islam member held in city During preliminary interrogation, he admitted to his involvement in the activities of Ansar al-Islam, said Kabirul Islam, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station. A case has been filed against the arrestee, he added. Also read: Khulna police make 6 arrests after indigenous woman gangraped at home

Two members of an intelligence agency were killed in a road accident in Rangamati on Monday night. The deceased were Abu Daud, 26, and Isa Ruhullah, 25. The accident occurred in the Public Health area at around 9.30 pm. READ: Two killed in Sylhet road crash According to locals, the duo was on their way to Bhedabhedi on a motorcycle. In the  Public Health area, it was hit by a CNG-run autorickshaw. As they fell off the motorcycle a bus of Paharika Poribahan ran over them leaving them dead on the spot. Officer-in-charge of Rangamati Kotwali Police Kabir Hossain said that he himself was at the spot. The bodies were sent to Rangamati Sadar Hospital. A case in this regard was underway, he said.

Two motorcyclists were killed and another injured as a truck collided head-on with a motorcycle in Brahmanbaria’s Sarail upazila on Monday night. The deceased were identified as Salman Mia, 16, of Shahjadapur in Sarail and Sharif Mia, 16, of the same area. The accident took place in Raja Bariakandi area on Dhaka-Sylhet highway of the upazila. READ: Truck helper killed in Magura road crash, 2 injured Officer-in-charge (OC) of Khatihata Highway Police Sukhendra Basu said that three friends were returning to their village in Shahjadapur on a motorcycle. At Raja Bariakandi area a truck from the opposite direction collided head-on with the motorcycle leaving two dead on the spot. The highway police went to the spot and recovered the bodies. One injured was sent to the hospital. However, police couldn’t yet arrest the driver and helper of the truck, OC said.

A Khulna court has sentenced a man to rigorous life imprisonment for killing his wife. At the same time, the court also fined the accused Md A Gafur Mali Tk 20,000 with additional six months rigorous imprisonment for non-payment . Khulna Additional District and Sessions Judge Ashraf Uddin passed the order on Monday. Also read: 7 get life term for murder in Chattogram Md A Gafur Mali is a resident of Betagram in Khulna’s Dumuria upazila. According to court sources, Monira Begum Mita, Gafur Mali’s wife came to know about his second marriage. And on the night of September 26, 2010 Gafur suffocated her to death in a planned manner. Next day victim's father filed a murder case at Dumuria police station. Also read: 4 get life term for killing three-wheeler driver in Khulna On January 5, 2011, Dumuria Police SI Shahjahan submitted a charge sheet to the court accusing Gafur.

Chattogram Customs in a recent investigation found out that a company has tried to evade Tk 7 .11 crore revenue by importing cigarettes behind dates from Dubai. The consignment had 55,52,400 sticks of Mound cigarettes worth Tk 1.19 Crore, said MD Sharfuddin Mia, Deputy Commissioner of Chattogram Customs House. He said the information was revealed on Sunday during a physical examination at Ispahani Summit Alliance Terminals Limited at Sagarika. Also read: Customs officials recover firearms, ammo hidden in household goods at Ctg port According to customs, a 40 feet container supposed to be filled with dates was shipped on December 27, last year from Jebel Ali port in Dubai and it reached Chattogram Port on December 30. The consignment was imported by Suchona International owned by Jahangir Alam from Boktopur in Fatikchhari upazila in Chattogram. After the importer did not submit a bill of entry for four months and the container was lying at the yard, Customs officials conducted a physical test Sunday which revealed the irregularity. Among the 2,772 cartons in the container 1,983 had cigarettes which were hidden behind 789 cartons of dates. Also read: Customs hotline starts test operation for ASYCUDA related service MD Sharfuddin Mia said, “In fear of detective surveillance the importer could not release the consignment of cigarettes from the port. Strict legal actions will be taken against importer Suchona International for trying to evade revenue.”

Vehicular movement on Rangpur-Kurigram Highway was disrupted for an hour as potato growers on Monday staged demonstration spreading potatoes on road demanding fair prices at Satmatha Highway in Rangpur city. The farmers alleged that they spent Tk 11 to Tk 13 per kg of potato as production cost but currently, per kg potatoes are being sold at Tk 8 and Tk 9. READ: Bangladesh to supply potato to Russia, says Russian Embassy Ziaul Islam, a trader said the farmers are counting a loss due to unfair price of potatoes and the government should look into the matter. They also demanded to take steps as potatoes can be exported in different foreign countries. The vehicular movement on the Highway came to normal after one hour after police intervention.

Jibon Boli emerged as the champion of the 113th edition of popular and traditional wrestling competition of Chatttogram ‘Jabbar er Boli Khela’ on Monday. Tariqul Islam Jibon Boli fom Chakaria upazila in Cox’s Bazar defeated earlier champion Shahjalal Boli from Cumilla and snatched the crown of champion. Jibon was also the champion of the competition’s 109 th edition. The competition was held in a temporary sand ground at Laldighi Zilla Parishad Market premises on Monday. Jibon struggled to floor Shajalal Boli several times throughout the championship bout but failed later he was announced champion by the referee on the basis of earned points.  

Adequate security measures have been taken in the Sundarbans under Shyamnagar upazila of Satkhira district as Crown Princess of Denmark Mary Elizabeth is scheduled to visit the area on April 27. The Forest Department has imposed a ban on the entrance of visitors for April 26 and April 27 in the Sundarbans to ensure foolproof security for the Crown princes. Already all steps have been taken and 700 police will remain deployed to ensure the security of the Crown princess. Assistant Forest Conservator of the Sundarbans Satkhira range, MA Hasan said “Crown Princess Mary Elizabeth will come to the Sundarbans on Wednesday and she will likely travel in the Sundarbans and exchange her views with the Forest officials concerned.” Also read: Danish Crown Princess Mary to meet PM, visit Rohingya camps To ensure security, the Forest Department has suspended issuance of allowing visitors with passes for two days, he said. Mostafizur Rahman, superintendent of Satkhira Police, said “Unprecedented security measures have been taken following the upcoming visit of Princess Mary. No media personnel were allowed to visit in the Sundarbans during her presence.” Alongside police, Rab will also deploy in the area for security reasons. The Crown Princess will visit Kultoli village to meet climate vulnerable community members. Also read: Crown Princess of Denmark Mary Elizabeth in Dhaka on a 3-day visit She will visit multipurpose cyclone shelter in the nearby community, meet its management committee and learn about its functionality during cyclone. She will talk to community members close behind the embankment about vulnerability, loss and damages caused by cyclones. The Crown Princess will avail of a boat ride to the Sundarbans and will have interaction with the forest officials during a 15 minute-walk through the World Heritage Site discussing biodiversity and salt water intrusion in the Sundarbans. She is scheduled to leave Dhaka for Istanbul on Wednesday night. Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen received Crown Princess of Denmark Mary Elizabeth who arrived here on Monday on a three-day visit.

The number of diarrhoea patients has been rising alarmingly at Faridpur Sadar General Hospital once again setting a new record in the district. At least 78 diarrhoea patients were admitted to the hospital within six hours on Sunday (April 24) and more than 200 diarrhoea patients are being treated at the hospital. Even many of them are being treated under the tree of the hospital due to bed shortages. The number of diarrhoea patients is several times higher than past few years.         The hospital authority is struggling to manage the huge flow of patients suffering from diarrhoea and the cancelled leave of the doctors and staff. Read: AQI: Dhaka’s air gets unhealthy again after improvement Relatives of the patients alleged that their patients are not getting proper treatment at the hospital due to the influx of the patients. Some of them alleged that they even didn’t get a saline stand which forced them to hang the saline in trees and hands.  Amena Khatun, a nurse at the hospital, said, “We can’t afford all the patients. As a result, many of them are staying on the floor and under the hospital trees. We are trying to ensure treatment of them also.”    According to the hospital sources, Faridpur Sadar General Hospital has only 10-bed for diarrhoea patients. But, at present, more than 200 diarrhoea patients are undergoing treatment at the hospital.