United News of Bangladesh

A concert by popular Bangladeshi rock icon James, also known as Nagar Baul, was cancelled on Friday night following clashes at the Faridpur Zila School campus during the institution’s 185th anniversary celebrations, leaving at least 25 people injured. The concert was scheduled to begin around 9:30pm on the school grounds as the closing event of the two-day programme. However, moments before the performance, a group of outsiders allegedly attempted to force their way into the venue after being denied entry. According to witnesses, the agitators hurled bricks and stones and tried to take control of the stage. Students of Faridpur Zila School resisted, forcing the attackers to retreat. Several students were injured in the incident. Around 10:00pm, convener of the organising committee Dr Mustafizur Rahman Shamim announced from the stage that the concert had been cancelled following instructions from the Faridpur Deputy Commissioner, citing the volatile situation. Rajibul Hasan Khan, convener of the publicity and media sub-committee of the anniversary programme, said all preparations had been in place to ensure a successful concert, but the sudden attack led to chaos. He said at least 15 to 20 students of the school were injured by brickbats. Considering the overall situation and on the directive of the district administration, the organisers were compelled to cancel the event, he added. The two-day celebration began on Thursday morning with the hoisting of national and commemorative flags, rendition of the national anthem, oath-taking, and a colourful procession through the town featuring banners, festoons and horse-drawn carriages. The programme was scheduled to conclude on Friday night with a raffle draw, cultural events and James’ performance. Established in 1840 during British rule, Faridpur Zila School is one of the earliest government schools in the region. For 185 years, the institution has played a significant role in the area’s education, culture and social movements, maintaining its reputation as one of the region’s leading schools.

A motorcyclist was killed after being hit by a bus on the Dhaka-Rajshahi highway in the Shibpur Hat area of Puthia upazila in Rajshahi on Friday evening. The accident occurred around 7:45 pm. The victim was identified as Jibon, 30, son of Jinnat Ali of Khutipara village under Baneshwar Union. He worked as a laborer and was the father of two children. According to witnesses, Jibon was returning home from a tea stall when his motorcycle stopped on the highway. At that time, a Tuhin Paribahan bus bearing registration number Dhaka-Metro-Ba-144489 hit him from behind, killing him on the spot. Jamaat activist stabbed to death in Rajshahi With the help of local people, the bus was later seized. Mozammel Haque Kazi, Officer in Charge of Paba Highway Police Station, said that legal action is being taken against the bus. “The victim’s brother is preparing to file a case with the police station,” he added.    

Police have seized the launch Adventure 9 and detained four of its crew after a collision between two passenger launches on the Meghna River near Jhalokathi, leaving many passengers injured. The accident happened late Thursday night in heavy fog when the Jhalokathi -bound Adventure 9 collided head-on with another launch named Samrat. According to reports, around 30 passengers were injured in the crash. There were also reports that 4 people have died. According to witnesses, some BNP leaders and activists from Jhalokathi were returning by the Adventure 9 after attending a public rally of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman. The collision took place around 2:30am, causing severe damage to the front part of the Adventure 9. Local police and river police later seized the launch at the Jhalokathi terminal and detained four crew members for questioning. The injured passengers were taken to Sher E Bangla Medical College Hospital in Barishal for treatment. A passenger, Md. Hasan, said that after the launch departed, nothing could be seen in the dense fog at night. Investigation committee formed following launch collision in Chandpur “We were asleep late at night when a loud sound suddenly woke us. When I went forward, I saw many passengers were injured, and a few had died. Actually, no launch is at fault here. The accident happened because of the fog,” he added. Imtiaz Ahmed, Officer-in-Charge of Jhalokathi Police Station, said that police and river police were stationed at the terminal from early morning. “Due to fog, the launch arrived at the terminal around 11 am. At that time, we conducted an operation inside the vessel. For legal action, Chandpur river police arrived to take the seized launch into their custody,” he added.  

An eight member panel has been formed to investigate the head-on collision between two launches in the Meghna River in Harina of Chandpur district, leaving four people dead and several others injured. The Ministry of Shipping formed the body headed by its Additional Secretary Md. Muhidul Islam and asked to submit a report within seven working days, identifying the causes of the accident and the parties responsible, according to a notification issued by the ministry on Friday. The rest of the probe body members are Joint Secretary Mohammad Emran Hossain, a director-level representative from the Department of Shipping, a director-level representative from the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), representatives from the Fire Service and Civil Defence Department, the Bangladesh Coast Guard, and the River Police. Senior Assistant Secretary ATM Morshed will play the role as member secretary. The committee is authorised to co-opt additional members if necessary. 3 more vessels to join Shipping Corporation's fleet in six months: Shipping Adviser The committee is tasked with investigating the collision between MV Zakir Samrat-3 and Adventure-9 launches on the Meghna River early Friday (around 2:30am) in Harina. The MV Zakir Samrat-3 was severely damaged in the accident, resulting in the deaths of four passengers and injuries to five others. The ministry emphasised prompt inquiry to ensure accountability and prevent similar incidents in the future.    

A mild cold wave is sweeping across the southwestern district of Chuadanga, disrupting normal life. According to the local met office, the district recorded this season’s lowest 9.6 degrees Celsius of temperature at 9am on Friday. Vehicles were seen moving with headlights to prevent any unwanted accident.    People, particularly, low income group, children and senior citizens, are the worst sufferers due to the intense cold. Before dawn, thick fog enveloped the district halting daily life. Meanwhile, the number of cold-induced patients has risen across the district. Chuadanga Sadar Hospital and upazila health complexes are struggling to cope up with the increased patients who are mostly suffering from pneumonia, respiratory problems and diarrhoea. Mild cold wave sweeps parts of Bangladesh On average, 400 to 500 patients are receiving treatment daily at the hospital’s outpatient department. Abbas Ali, a hotel worker, said the cold water in the early morning makes work extremely difficult, but stopping work is not an option due to livelihood pressures. Chuadanga First-Class Meteorological Observatory in-charge Jaminur Rahman forecast that the temperatures may drop further as a mild cold wave is active the district.  

Inqilab Moncho, a platform formed centring the last year’s student-led uprising, on Friday urged the people of Bangladesh to come to Shahbagh and stage a sit-in demanding justice for its slain spokesman Shaheed Sharif Osman bin Hadi. The platform made the appeal through a post on its official Facebook page on Friday afternoon. As of filing this report at 4pm, the protestors were staging demonstration at the busy Shahbagh intersection, halting traffic movement. Earlier, followers of the platform, led by its Member Secretary Abdullah Al Jaber, brought out a procession from the central mosque premises of Dhaka University after Jumma prayers on the same demand. During the demonstrations, the protesters chanted slogans such as “We want justice,” “Delhi na Dhaka, Dhaka, Dhaka,” and “Golami na Azadi, Azadi, Azadi.” Later, the procession arrived at the intersection where the demonstrators started protesting.   Similar protest rallies were held in different parts of the country, including Chhata Masjid in Cumilla Police Lines and Anderkilla Shahi Jame Mosque in Chattogram. Osman Hadi, also a prospective candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency, was shot in the head on December 12 while travelling in a rickshaw on Culvert Road in Puratan Paltan. Later, he was airlifted to Singapore for advanced treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries on the night of December 18.

Two workers went missing after a collision between a sand-laden bulkhead and a passenger launch in the Buriganga river in Fatullah upazila of Narayanganj district on Friday morning. The incident occurred around 6:15am in Dharmaganj area when the Dhaka-bound launch Sundarban-16 rammed into the stationary bulkhead MV Kashfa Sneha, inspector Akibul Islam, in-charge of Pagla River Police Outpost, said. The missing workers are Md Zahurul Islam Shakil, 25, of Patuakhali, and Md Hasan, 20, of Rajapur in Jhalakathi. Three other workers on board managed to swim ashore safely. Members of Coast Guard, Fire Service and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) jointly launched rescue operations shortly after the incident, said BIWTA Assistant Director Kamrul Hasan. Inspector Akibul said dense fog may have caused the accident in the morning. Earlier on December 14, a similar bulkhead sank in the same area following a collision, though no casualties were reported then.

At least two people were killed and more than 50 others injured when two passenger launches collided in the Meghna River early Friday amid dense fog. The identities of the deceased could not be confirmed immediately, said Babu Lal Boidya, Deputy Director (Traffic) of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), Chandpur Zone. The accident took place in the Horina area of Chandpur Sadar upazila when a launch named MV Adventure-9 rammed into another vessel, MV Zakir Somrat-3, leaving two passengers dead on the spot. However, unofficial sources claimed that the death toll could be as high as four. According to witnesses, the Dhaka-bound MV Zakir Somrat-3, which had departed from Ghosherhat in Bhola, was navigating the Haimchar waterway shortly after 2 am. At the same time, the Barishal-bound MV Adventure-9, carrying passengers returning from a BNP programme at the 300 Feet area, reportedly lost its course due to thick fog and crashed into Zakir Somrat-3.

Ferry services on the Paturia-Daulatdia and Aricha-Kazirhat water routes were suspended due to dense fog, leaving more than 300 vehicles stranded at terminals. Five ferries were anchored mid-river as visibility dropped sharply. Abdus Salam, Deputy General Manager of BIWTC Aricha Sector, said the fog began intensifying from Thursday evening and became extremely dense around 9:00pm, covering the entire waterway and making vessels invisible. To prevent accidents, ferry operations on the Aricha-Kazirhat route were suspended. At the time, two ferries — Bir Shrestha Hamidur Rahman and Chitra — were stranded mid-river carrying passengers and vehicles, while two other ferries remained at Kazirhat ghat. Meanwhile, ferry services on the Paturia-Daulatdia route were suspended around 12:30am as fog density increased further. Three ferries — Shahparan, Golam Maula and Baigar — were anchored mid-river following the suspension. Due to the halt in ferry operations, more than 300 vehicles, including over a hundred goods-laden trucks, were stranded at Paturia and Daulatdia ghats, causing severe hardship for passengers and transport workers. The official said ferry services would resume once visibility improves and fog conditions ease.

A passenger bus was set on fire in Cumilla’s Burichang upazila on Thursday afternoon following the death of a pedestrian who was run over on the Dhaka–Chattogram Highway. The incident occurred in the Kabila area, while the bus was torched later at Korpai after locals intercepted it. The deceased was identified as Sirajul Haque, 90, a resident of Mohichail area in Chandina upazila. According to local sources, a bus of Ekota Paribahan hit Sirajul while he was crossing the road, killing him on the spot. After the accident, the bus attempted to flee, but locals set up barricades and managed to stop it in the Korpai area. Passengers were safely disembarked before the bus was set ablaze. Personnel from the army, police of Mainamati Highway Crossing Police Station and a unit of the Fire Service rushed to the scene and brought the fire under control. Officer-in-Charge of Mainamati Highway Police Station Abdul Mumin said the bus driver fled immediately after the accident. The burned bus was later recovered and taken to the police station.