United News of Bangladesh

At least three people were seriously injured in a clash linked to drug trading and territory disputes in Uttor Chelopara area of Bogura's ward no 6 on Thursday. The clash, linked to local drug trade and territory disputes, occurred between 2:30 pm and 4:00 pm. At least three people were seriously injured, including Robin, 25. The names of the other two victims are not yet known. According to locals, a long-standing conflict existed between Naruli and Sandhar Patti areas over drug dealings and local dominance. Earlier on Thursday, several youths from Naruli reportedly attacked three youths from Sandhar Patti with sharp weapons near Bottola Mor, leaving them critically injured. The injured were taken to Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital. But, after a rumor spread that two of the injured had died, around 100 people from Sandhar Patti attacked Naruli homes with homemade weapons. During the violence, at least 30 houses were damaged, and about 20 rooms in 4 houses were set on fire and looted. Fire service and civil defense units, along with Bogura Sadar police and the Detective Branch, rushed to the scene to control the situation. Crude bombs blast near NCP’s meeting venue in Bogura Firefighters brought the fire under control after nearly an hour. Shahidul Islam, Senior Station Officer of Bogura Fire Service, said, “Our two units worked for about an hour to control the fire. Assessment of the damage is underway.” Hasan Basir, Officer-in-Charge of Bogura Sadar Police Station, said, “Extra police personnel have been deployed, and the situation is now under control.”  

The number of HIV/AIDS patients in Sirajganj has risen alarmingly this year. So far, 255 people have been diagnosed with the virus. Most of them are young and drug users. HIV testing began at the 250-bed Sirajganj General Hospital on February 20, 2020. In the first year, 4 people tested positive. The number increased to 8 in the following year and reached 81 in 2022. In 2023 and 2024, the situation remained relatively stable. However, this year, the number of cases has risen sharply to 255. The hospital’s HIV Testing and Counselling Center confirmed the information. Counselor Masud Rana told reporters that among the infected, 187 are drug users, 35 are ordinary people, 29 are students, and 4 are sex workers. So far, 26 patients have died while receiving treatment and others are regularly getting free medicines and counselling services. According to doctors, the virus is spreading due to sharing the same syringes among drug users, lack of awareness about safe sex, hiding disease status, and uncontrolled lifestyles among the youths. Sirajganj man arrested for allegedly killing wife Dr. Akikun Nahar, supervisor of the hospital, said, “Drug users often reuse the same syringe multiple times, spreading the virus through blood.” Additionally, she urged local authorities and law enforcement to take urgent and strict measures to control the spread, as most of the infected are drug users.    

A schoolboy was killed after being hit by a drum truck at Pateshwari Bazar in Bhurungamari upazila of Kurigram on Thursday evening. The deceased was identified as Ashik, 14, son of Shahidul Islam from Gochidanga village of Paikerchora union. He was an eighth grader at a local school. According to locals, Ashik went to the market by bicycle in the afternoon. While returning home, a speeding drum truck heading towards Bhurungamari ran him over and fled the scene, leaving him dead on the spot. On information, Bhurungamari police recovered the body. HSC 2025: Nine Kurigram colleges witness zero pass Al Helal Mahmud, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Bhurungamari Police Station said, “The body has been handed over to the family. Legal action will be taken after investigation.” A pall of grief descended over the area following the accident.  

Bangladesh Bank has reinstated the provision of additional increments for officers directly recruited to the 9th and 10th pay grades in a bid to attract and retain highly qualified individuals. The move, aimed at enhancing the central bank's appeal to brilliant minds, was announced recently through an internal circular signed by Nasima Sultana, Director of the Human Resources Department-2 of Bangladesh Bank and took immediate effect. The circular outlines a system of merit-based bonus increments tied to academic excellence and training performance: The circular stated that officials who achieved four first classes or divisions in their academic career will receive three additional increments. Those with three first classes or divisions will receive two additional increments. Training excellence to up to 20 percent of trainees who score 80 percent or higher in their foundation training will be awarded one extra increment. This training-based increment will be disbursed retroactively after the completion of the training. The decision, made following the 438th meeting of the Bangladesh Bank's Board of Directors, stipulates that an official can receive a maximum of four extra increments—three for academic excellence and one for performance in foundation training. Combined with the annual regular increment of 5 percent, an officer can ultimately enjoy up to five increments in a year. Sources familiar with the matter said this merit-based increment system for 9th and 10th-grade officers was previously in effect but was discontinued in February 2022. BNP believes in Bangladesh Bank’s independence, not just autonomy: Khosru According to an office order from April 23, 2024, at least 57 officials—including an officer, one deputy director, and 55 assistant directors—had resigned from the institution. Sector stakeholders believe the new policy will be instrumental in encouraging talented job seekers to return to the central bank and will aid significantly in long-term staff retention.      

Two motorcyclists were killed after a speeding bus rammed into their bike in Tarakanda upazila of Mymensingh on Thursday. The deceased were identified as Shamsul Alam Tofail, 44, son of Amjad Ali, and Shahjahan, 42, son of Abul Hasen — both residents of Paschim Goatala village in the same upazila. Md Tipu Sultan, officer-in-charge (OC) of Tarakanda Police Station, said a bus of Imam Paribahan which left Haluaghat for Dhaka in the morning hit the motorbike around 11:30 am in the Goatala Shasar Bazar area, leaving the two riders dead on the spot. Police recovered the bodies after being informed of the accident, the OC added, saying that legal procedures are underway.  

Workers of AA Yarn Mills Ltd blocked the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in Joina Bazar area of Gazipur’s Sreepur on Thursday demanding arrears, disrupting traffic for about an hour. Police fired several rounds of sound grenades and lobbed tear gas to disperse the workers after failing to remove them from the highway through negotiation. Workers said they initially demonstrated at the factory gate, demanding payment of two months’ unpaid wages and other dues. When their demands went unheeded, they took to the highway. 4 sued over death of 4 in Gazipur chemical warehouse fire  They alleged that police charged batons and used tear gas and sound grenades to disperse them, leaving at least five workers injured. Abdul Barek Mia, officer-in-charge (OC) of Sreepur Police Station, said police tried to convince the workers to leave the highway but when traffic movement came to a halt they were forced to take action. “Negotiations are underway with the factory owner to pay the workers’ arrears. The situation is now under control,” the OC added.  

A woman and her two sons sustained severe burns after her husband allegedly set fire to their house with a petrol bomb in Narsingdi town early Thursday. The injured were identified as Rina Begum, 36, and her sons Farhad, 15, and Touhid, 7. They were rescued in critical condition and taken to the emergency unit of National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery. Fire burn valuables at Narsingdi Textile Mill Dr Shawon Bin Rahman, resident surgeon of the institute, said Rina sustained burns on 58 percent of her body while Farhad and Touhid suffered 40 and 16 percent burns respectively. All three have been shifted to the High Dependency Unit (HDU) for intensive treatment. Dr Rahman said Rina’s husband Karim threw a petrol bomb inside their home, leaving his wife and children injured.  

A college student was hacked to death in broad daylight on Wednesday in Balakipur village of Baniachong upazila over a family dispute. The deceased was identified as Sadeq Chowdhury, 18, a first-year commerce student at Sachindra College in Baniachang. The victim's maternal uncle, Mortuz Ali, said a long-standing conflict had been brewing between Sadeq's family and that of Saraj Mia, a resident of the same village. The tension escalated after Mortuz’s other nephew, Police Constable Enayet Ahmed Chowdhury, married Saraj Mia’s daughter. On Wednesday afternoon, Saraj Mia, accompanied by his son and nephews, allegedly ambushed Sadeq near Ratna Bazar while he was alone and attacked him with sharp weapons. Sadeq was critically injured and died on the way to Habiganj Sadar Adhunik Hospital. His body has been kept at the hospital morgue for autopsy. No case had been filed at the time of reporting. Police are investigating the incident.

Sylhet is grappling with extreme load shedding amid soaring temperatures, leaving residents struggling to cope with unbearable conditions. On Wednesday, the mercury rose to 35.5°C, but electricity supply remained erratic, causing widespread hardship across the city and surrounding areas. Locals compare the current crisis to electricity shortages from 10–12 years ago, when power outages were intermittent rather than continuous. Over the past week, the situation has worsened, creating serious challenges for households, businesses, and essential services. Water scarcity has compounded residents’ difficulties, and rural communities are also facing severe hardships. Officials from the Sylhet Power Development Board’s sales and distribution department have not offered any immediate solution. According to reliable sources, Sylhet city requires 124 megawatts daily but is receiving only 62 megawatts. Across Sylhet district, the demand is 150 megawatts, while supply is limited to 80 megawatts. In the wider division, demand stands at 230 megawatts, with just 130 megawatts supplied. The shortage has forced residents to endure significant discomfort. Business owners expressed frustration over the unreliable power. Matiur Rahman, a trader in Lal Dighirpar, said, “What kind of load shedding is this? Electricity goes and doesn’t come back. How are we supposed to survive like this?” Residents in sub-district towns and villages echoed the same concerns. Fazlur Rahman from Khagail in Golapganj and Sadek Ahmed from Boro Desh in Beanibazar reported that production has been severely disrupted, and businesses are suffering losses. According to Jarjisur Rahman, Assistant Engineer of the Sylhet Power Development and Distribution Department, gas shortages and other operational challenges are affecting electricity generation. “Once production increases, supply will improve,” he added. Md Abdul Qadir, Chief Engineer of the Sylhet region PDB, acknowledged that current supply falls short of demand due to production issues. However, he indicated that the situation may improve by the end of the month.

Farmers in Lalmonirhat are struggling this Aman season as paddy fields across the district come under severe attack from leaf curl, currant, and majra pests. Despite applying various pesticides, many say they are not seeing the desired results, leading to rising costs and growing frustration due to the lack of proper guidance. Sources said this season, Aman paddy has been cultivated on 86,645 hectares of land across Lalmonirhat district, just shy of the 86,650-hectare target. Unfortunately, the pest outbreak has coincided with the peak growth stage of the crop, threatening yields. The infestation is particularly severe in Harati and Gokunda of Sadar Upazila, as well as in Sarpukur, Saptibari, and Bhelabari unions of Kaliganj Upazila, among other affected areas. Farmers report having to use multiple types of pesticides to control the pests, pushing production costs up by Tk 3,000–4,000 per bigha. With already high prices of seeds, fertilizer, and labour, the additional burden is pushing many to the brink. They also allege that a lack of timely and effective advice from agricultural officials is forcing them to rely on guesswork and trial-and-error methods in pesticide use, which is both costly and ineffective. However, the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) claims there is no major pest outbreak in the district this year. “Farmers are being advised regularly at the field level, and pesticide companies are also under monitoring,” said an official from the department. Still, farmers insist that accurate and timely advice is crucial to protect their crops and livelihoods. They also demanded stricter monitoring of pesticide companies to ensure quality and prevent the misuse of ineffective or harmful products.