United News of Bangladesh

A 23-year-old youth was burnt to death in the Police Lines area of Narsingdi late Friday night. The deceased was identified as Chanchal Chandra Bhowmik, son of Khokon Chandra Bhowmik of Laxmipur village in Barura upazila of Cumilla. Chanchal worked at a car workshop at Khanbari Mosque Market in the Police Lines area, police and local sources said. They said Chanchal fell asleep inside the shop after having dinner at a nearby fish market, as he used to do regularly. Later in the night, miscreants allegedly set fire to the shop’s shutter. As petrol and other flammable materials were kept inside the workshop, the fire spread rapidly, leaving Chanchal critically burnt. CCTV footage reportedly shows several individuals intentionally setting fire to the shop’s shutter. The owner of the shop, Md Rubel Mia, could not be reached for comment despite repeated attempts on his mobile phone. Dr Gulshana Kabir, Resident Medical Officer of Narsingdi Sadar Hospital, said a severely charred body was brought to the hospital and handed over to the family after autopsy. Narsingdi Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) ARM Al Mamun said police rushed to the spot upon receiving information and sent the body to the hospital morgue for autopsy. He added that CCTV footage had been collected and multiple police teams were working to identify and arrest those involved.

A court on Sunday ordered eight officials and employees of Sylhet Medical University to be sent to jail in a corruption case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The Sylhet Metropolitan Sessions Judge, Munshi Abdul Majid, directed their imprisonment after they surrendered to the court. The accused are Procurement Officer Abdul Monir, Section Officer Rinku Das, Chowdhury Ruman Ahmed, and Lokman Ahmed, Administrative Officer Suranjit Chandra Talukdar, Robiul Alam Bakul, Mohammad Rashedul Islam, and Office Assistant-cum-Computer Operator Ruhul Amin. Earlier, six other officials of the university had already been jailed in the same case, their bail applications also rejected. ACC lawyer Mahajirul Islam Rahat confirmed the court’s order. Govt to accept foreign loans only for critical projects: Planning Adviser According to the ACC case statement, the university, faced allegations of widespread irregularities in staff recruitment, first reported by the University Grants Commission (UGC).A 2023 UGC investigation found former Vice-Chancellor Morshed Ahmed Chowdhury and Acting Registrar Md. Naimul Haque Chowdhury had misused power. The ACC said the officials made adhoc appointments between 2019 and 2023 without UGC approval, repeatedly extending six-month temporary contracts beyond the allowed period, in violation of the Sylhet Medical University Act. Salaries for unauthorized positions were paid from the Health Ministry’s development budget. Several appointees lacked required age, educational qualifications, or relevant experience. In some cases, employees were promoted illegally despite deficiencies in eligibility, and appointments were made without proper degree requirements. Currently, the university has 239 employees, of which 112 posts are UGC-approved. The remaining 127 hold non-approved positions, with salaries unlawfully paid from ministry funds.

Students and local residents staged a protest march and boycotted classes on Sunday at Raigram, Kalagachhi, Kanchanpur Janata Secondary School (RKK Janata Secondary School) in the village of Raigram, Kalagachhi union in Lohagara upazila, demanding justice for an SSC examinee who was allegedly molested by a teacher. The class boycott began around 10:00am, with students expressing outrage over the incident. Local residents later joined the protest in solidarity, holding a demonstration on the school premises. Tension prevailed in and around the school during the protest. Upon receiving the information, Lohagara Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Shammi Kaiser and Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Lohagara Police Station Abdur Rahman rushed to the spot and held talks with the protesting students. Students confine principal, instructor to Narail Nursing College over ‘irregularities’ Following assurances of appropriate action against the accused teacher, the students withdrew the class boycott after about two hours and returned to their classes. Later, on the instructions of the UNO, a three-member investigation committee was formed, headed by Upazila Secondary Education Officer Md Anwar Hossain. The committee has been asked to submit its report within seven days, Md Anwar Hossain said, adding that further action would be taken based on the findings. According to student and locals, the 15-year-old SSC examinee used to receive private tuition at the residence of Md Babu Mia, an assistant teacher of the same school. About two weeks ago, the teacher allegedly attempted to molest the student after a private lesson. The victim later informed her guardian about the incident.

Muggers looted Tk 24 lakh by firing gunshots and exploding crude bombs in Basan area of Gazipur on Sunday afternoon. Witnesses said Saiful Islam, a staff of Dutch-Bangla Bank agent outlet, owned by Shafiqul Islam, was heading towards Chandona intersection around 4:00pm to deposit money at a bank. When Saiful reached in front of Kajimuddin School in the area, a group of six muggers riding motorcycles intercepted him, fired two rounds of bullelts and looted Tk 24 lakh from his possession. They also exploded several crude bombs to create panic in the area. Read More: 35 bhori gold, Tk 6 lakh looted from Joypurhat shop On information, a deputy police commissioner of Gazipur Metropolitan Police and Basan Police Station Officer-in-Charge Harun-or-Rashid visited the spot. However, no one was arrested in this connection. Police are investigating the incident, said OC.

Auto-rickshaw drivers in Shreepur of Gazipur withdrew their blockade of the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway after about one and a half hours on Sunday, following police intervention. The drivers had blocked the highway in the morning, demanding legal permission to operate auto-rickshaws and an end to alleged police harassment, causing severe traffic disruption. According to police, around 200 to 250 auto-rickshaw drivers gathered in the New Market area of Shreepur and halted vehicular movement on the busy highway. The blockade led to long tailbacks, inconveniencing commuters, students and pedestrians.  Traffic movement returned to normalacy around 10:00am after police cleared the protesters from the road. Officer-in-Charge of Shreepur Police Station Md Nasir Uddin said multiple police teams were deployed to bring the situation under control. Read More: Law Adviser urges social resistance to prevent public suffering from road blockade Police worked to remove the protesters from the highway and restore normal traffic flow, he added.  

At least 12 people were injured when a bus carrying a wedding party lost control and fell into a roadside ditch in Chaugachha upazila of Jashore early Saturday. The accident occurred around 6:30am at Tengarpur Mor area of the upazila. According to locals and eyewitnesses, the bus was returning to Abhaynagar after attending a wedding ceremony at Bathangachhi village under Maheshpur upazila of Jhenaidah district. At the Tengarpur intersection, the bus driver tried to give way to an unidentified motorcycle coming from the opposite direction, but lost control of the vehicle and plunged into a deep roadside ditch. As a result, 12 passengers were injured. The injured were identified as Apon Biswas, Nimai Roy, 80, Bikash, 38, Nayan, 26, Sadhan Kumar, 50, Gour Biswas, 45, Chandra, 22, Shraboni, 18, Parul Hajra, 48, and Priti, 17, all residents of Shankarpasha village in Abhaynagar, and part of the wedding party. Two others who got injured were identified as Sudipto Sarkar, 17, of Hamidpur village under Jashore Sadar upazila and Hriday Adhikari, 18, of Koyari village in Magura Sadar. Election: 129 inmates to cast postal vote from Jashore central jail After the accident, fellow passengers and local residents immediately started rescue operations. The injured were later taken to Jashore General Hospital, where they are currently receiving treatment at the male and female surgery wards. Hospital sources said the injured are out of danger. Chougachha Police Station Officer-in-Charge Rezaul Karim confirmed the incident.

A person was killed and at least 12 others were injured when a cattle-laden pickup van overturned in Kishoreganj’s Austagram upazila on Saturday. The accident occurred around 10:30am at the Austagram Zero Point area under Kastul Union of the upazila. The deceased was identified as Hadis Mia (56), son of late Ali Hossain of Ghagra Union in Mithamain upazila, that adjoins Austagram. According to local sources, some devotees and followers of the Chilikon Darbar Sharif from Ghagra were on their way to the shrine in Nasirnagar upazila of Brahmanbaria with several cows. Read More: Bus-truck collision leaves 2 dead in Faridpur The pickup lost control at the Austagram Zero Point and plunged into a roadside ditch. The injured were identified as Md Araf Ali (58), Nur Alam (40), Jalal Mia (45), Mohammad Rishad (18), Saim Mia (13), Md Fahim Mia (16), Md Hakim (48), among others. All of them are residents of Ghagra Union in Mithamain upazila. On information, police, Fire Service personnel and local people rescued the injured and took them to Austagram Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared Hadis Mia dead. After receiving primary treatment, the critically injured were referred to Bhagalpur Zahirul Islam Medical College Hospital in Bajitpur upazila for advanced treatment. Austagram Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Soheb Khan confirmed the incident, saying the accident-hit pickup van has been recovered from the ditch and legal process is underway.

Two people were killed and ten others injured in a head-on collision between a bus and a truck on Dhaka-Barishal highway at Naupara in Bhanga upazila of Faridpur district on Saturday. The identities of the deceased could not be known immediately. Helal Uddin, Officer-in-Charge of Bhanga Highway Police, said the accident occurred around 10 am in front of Noupara Livestock office when the Dhaka-bound bus from Barishal crashed into a truck coming from opposite direction, leaving one killed on the spot and 11 others injured. Read More: Netanyahu urges calm after teen killed in bus accident The injured were taken to Bhanga Upazila Health Complex where the doctors declared one of them dead. The bodies were kept at the hospital morgue.

A total of 129 inmates of Jashore Central Jail will cast their votes through postal ballots. This marks the first time in the country’s history that prisoners will be able to exercise their voting rights. According to jail authorities, all the 129 inmates have completed the online voter registration process, said Jailer Abid Ahmed of Jashore Central Jail. The registration began in the first week of December and concluded on December 31. Sources at the jail said many inmates initially showed interest after getting informed about postal ballot opportunities. However, some were unable to register due to absence of national identity cards or other technical issues while others refrained from applying because they expect to be released on bail. Booklets containing information on candidates and electoral symbols for each inmate’s respective constituency will be provided to help them make informed choices, said jailer Abid. The Election Commission will send separate ballot packages to registered voters in the jail. Each package will include voting instructions, a ballot paper and designated space for signatures. Inmates will mark their ballots, seal them in envelopes and submit both the ballot and signed documents to jail authorities at designated locations. The jail authorities will then forward the sealed envelopes to the post office from where they will be sent to the Election Commission through express service. Read More: Feb-12 election to set standards for future votes in Bangladesh: Prof Yunus tells US Ambassador Jashore District Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner Ashik Hasan said the administration is extending full cooperation to ensure a fair and uninterrupted voting process.

The government has a long-term plan for the installation of a broad-gauge rail line on Lalmonirhat–Parbatipur route and construction of a new Teesta rail bridge, Railway Director General Afzal Hossain has said. He disclosed the plan while talking to journalists Friday night after inspecting different offices of Lalmonirhat Railway Division and the historic Teesta rail bridge. During the visit, the DG said Lalmonirhat rail division currently has a predominance of metre-gauge rail lines and the plan was taken to make rail services faster and more modern. If implemented, the project would bring a revolutionary change to the rail communication system in the northern region, he added. Referring to the Teesta rail bridge built in the 1800s, Afzal Hossain said the bridge has already crossed its designed lifespan about 25 years ago, yet it has been kept operational with great technical efficiency and train movement continues uninterrupted. If the plan for installing a broad-gauge line is implemented, the master plan will also include construction of a modern new rail bridge in place of the existing one. He also expressed concern over incidents of theft of different components and materials from the Teesta rail bridge. He firmly reminded that the railway is a national asset belonging to people. Protecting this asset is not the responsibility of the railway authorities alone but a moral duty of everyone, he said, urging local people to come forward to safeguard the state property. Divisional Railway Manager Abu Hena Mostafa, Divisional Engineer Ahsan Habib, senior railway officials and representatives of the local administration were present during the inspection.