United News of Bangladesh

Five oil tankers carrying nearly 1.77 lakh tonnes of diesel have arrived at Chattogram Port, with one vessel already discharging fuel and four others awaiting unloading, officials have said. The MT Pacific Indigo, which arrived on Monday with 33,000 tonnes of diesel, has berthed at the port’s Dolphin Jetty and started unloading on Wednesday afternoon, said Chittagong Port Authority Secretary Syed Refayet Hamim. According to the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC), the Chinese-flagged MT Lian Song Hu, carrying 41,907 tonnes of diesel, arrived on April 17 and is currently at the port’s Alpha Anchorage, where lightering operations are underway. Other vessels include MT Golden Horizon, which arrived on April 19 with 35,028 tonnes of diesel from Malaysia, MT Hafnia Cheetah, carrying 32,500 tonnes of diesel, reached the port on April 21, and MT FPMC 30 from Singapore, which arrived on the same day with 34,533 tonnes of diesel. In total, five oil tankers have brought 176,968 tonnes of diesel to the port. In addition, MT Xing Tong 99, carrying 34,000 tonnes of jet fuel from China, was scheduled to arrive on April 22 but is now expected to reach on April 24. Earlier in the day, the Liberian-flagged MT Octry, carrying 35,346 tonnes of diesel, left the port jetty after completing unloading. The shipments are expected to strengthen fuel supply and support ongoing energy demand as authorities continue managing discharge operations at anchorage.

A former Army officer has been arrested and put on remand in the sensational Sohagi Jahan Tonu murder case. The arrestee was identified as Hafizur Rahman, former senior warrant officer of Bangladesh Army. A team of the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) arrested him after conducting a drive at his Keraniganj residence in Dhaka on Tuesday night, said investigating officer (IO) of the case Inspector Tariqul Islam. Tonu murder: Court orders DNA cross-match of 3 suspects Hafizur was taken to Cumilla and produced before the Cumilla Chief Judicial Magistrate Md Mominul Haque on Wednesday afternoon with a seven-day remand prayer. After the hearing, the court placed him on a three-day remand in the murder case. On April 6, the same court ordered the authorities concerned to conduct a cross-matching of DNA profiles of three former Army personnel with those earlier collected from the clothing of Tonu, a Cumilla Govt Victoria College student who was killed in 2016. The order came following a petition filed by the IO. According to IO Tariqul Islam, DNA profiles had previously been extracted from Tonu’s personal clothing soon after the incident. However, those samples were never matched with any suspects at the time. Tonu, a second-year student of the history department at Victoria College, went missing on March 20, 2016, after leaving for private tuition inside Cumilla Cantonment. Her body was later recovered from a nearby forest area, prompting her father Yar Hossain to file a murder case at Cumilla Kotwali Model Police Station. The case has since seen multiple changes of investigating agencies, moving from local police to the Detective Branch, then Criminal Investigation Department, and later to the PBI, but no breakthrough has been achieved so far. Family members have long alleged a lack of transparency in the investigation, claiming that earlier DNA tests were conducted but their results were never made public. Tariqul is the seventh officer to lead the probe.

At least three close relatives were among several people who allegedly carried out the killing of four members of a family in Niamatpur upazila of Naogaon over a land dispute, police said on Wednesday. District’s Superintendent of Police Tariqul Islam said three suspects, including the victim’s brother-in-law and two nephews, have been arrested for their involvement in what he described as a premeditated “killing mission” aimed at eliminating the family over a property dispute. The arrestees are Shahidul Islam, husband of victim Habibur Rahman’s sister Shirin Akhter, Shirin’s son Shahin Hossain and Sabuj Rana, son of Habibur’s another sister— all hailing from Bahadurpur village in the upazila. SP suspects land dispute behind Naogaon murders While speaking at a press briefing held at his in the afternoon, the SP said several other individuals were also involved in the killing mission. Habibur, 32, his wife Popy Sultana, 25, their son Parvez, 9, and three-year-old daughter Sadia Akhter were found dead at their house at Bahadurpur village on Tuesday morning, with their throats slit. A case was filed at Niamatpur Police Station in this connection. Tariqul Islam said victim Habibur has five sisters too. Their father Namiuddin distributed his property among his children, transferring 13 bighas of land, including the homestead, out of a total 17 bighas, to his son Habibur, while the remaining land to his daughters. The handover of the larger share of property to Habibur led to an enmity with his sisters, brothers-in-law and nephews. Later, his sister Shirin Akhter, her son Shahin, and Sabuj Rana, son of Habibur’s another sister Halima Khatun, planned to kill the family. On Monday afternoon, Habibur went to Chhatra Bazar in the upazila with Sabuj Rana to buy cattle, carrying Tk 1.4 lakh. However, he returned home without purchasing any cattle. After returning from the market, Sabuj Rana, Shahidul, Shahin, and four others involved in the incident held a meeting in a village field and devised a plan to kill Habibur, the SP said. As per the plan, Sabuj Rana went to the house of Habibur on Monday night and took dinner with them. At that time, Shahin also secretly entered the house unnoticed and hid in a room. Sabuj Rana left the house after having dinner. As everyone fell asleep, Shahin opened the main gate of the house, allowing Sabuj Rana, Shahidul, and five others to enter it. They first locked Habibur’s father Namiuddin inside his room from the outside and then killed Habibur and his family members after slitting their throats one by one. On Tuesday morning, Sabuj Rana, along with others who took part in the killing mission, went to the house of Habibur after the news of the killing spread around. Police detained four people, including Sabuj Rana, his father Namir Uddin, Habibur’s two sisters Dalima Begum and Halima, for interrogation. During interrogation, Sabuj Rana confessed to his part in the incident. Following interrogation, police recovered a sharp weapon from the paddy husk of the house and a knife from a pond adjacent to the house. The SP said efforts are underway to arrest others involved in the killing mission.

A schoolgirl who was allegedly kidnapped from Rangpur has been rescued from Cumilla. The victim, a 7th grader and a resident of Purbo Botlapara village under Kotwali Police Station in Rangpur, was rescued during an operation conducted by RAB-13 in Purba Ashoktala village under Lalmai Police Station in Cumilla on Tuesday night, said Senior Assistant Director of Rab-13, Biplob Kumar Goswami, on Wednesday. Prime suspect, Taukir Rahman, 19, son of Rahel Mia from the same area, was arrested during the drive. Rab said Taukir used to harass the victim on her way to school. After the victim informed her family, they warned Taukir to stop disturbing her. However, he ignored the warning and allegedly threatened to kidnap her. On the morning of April 1,  when the girl was heading to school Taukir and several accomplices allegedly kidnapped her. Her family filed a case under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act with Kotwali Police Station in Rangpur. Tipped off, RAB-13 members carried out the operation and rescued the victim. Taukir Rahman was handed over to the police station concerned for further legal action. RAB officials said efforts are ongoing to arrest the remaining individuals involved in the suspected kidnapping.

Jubo Mohila League activist Shilpi Begum, who secured bail on Tuesday in an explosives case filed during July-August uprising, was released from Kashimpur Women's Central Jail on Wednesday. She walked out of Kashimpur Women’s Central Jail around 12:00pm along with her one-and-a-half-month-old infant, said Senior Jail Superintendent Kawalin Nahar. Earlier on Tuesday, Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Mostafizur Rahman granted her bail after hearing a review petition filed by the defence. Family members received her upon release from the jail. Shilpi, an activist of Dhaka North Jubo Mohila League’s ward No. 26, was arrested on Monday evening from the Tejkunipara Railway Colony area in a case filed with Tejgaon Police Station under the Explosive Substances Act. Family members told the court that Shilpi delivered her baby by caesarean section on March 4 and remained physically weak. They said she is unable to properly breastfeed or even hold the infant due to complications, including a fractured left arm from a recent fall. Despite repeated appeals from the family to keep the baby in their care, police did not allow the infant to be separated. Both mother and child were later taken to Kashimpur Jail, they added. According to the case statement, Dhaka University student Tahmid Mubin Ratul was shot in the Chankharpool area on July 16, 2024, and later attacked along with fellow students at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. On July 23, a group of 120-130 people allegedly attacked his residence in Tejgaon, vandalising property worth Tk 5 lakh and looting goods valued at Tk 3 lakh. The case was filed on January 25, 2025 by Ratul’s mother Shahnur Khanam at Tejgaon Police Station, naming 103 accused, including former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal.

At least nine shops were gutted in a fire that broke out at Bithangal Akhra Bazar in Baniachong upazila of Habiganj early Wednesday. The fire which broke out around 2:00 am at a restaurant owned by Sanjit Roy spread rapidly to adjacent shops after a gas cylinder inside the establishment exploded, according to Fire Service and local sources. Station Leader of Baniachong Fire Service, Riaz Uddin said although they received information at night poor road conditions delayed their response. Three grocery stores, an electronics shop and several other establishments were completely gutted, bringing the total number of affected shops to nine. The intensity of the blaze left no time to salvage goods, said shop owners. Affected traders said they suffered losses worth around Tk 1 crore in the fire incident. The exact cause of the fire could not be determined immediately and an investigation is underway, said Riaz.

Police recovered the body of a 60-year old woman stuffed inside a sack from Bejpara area of Jashore town. The deceased was identified as Sakina Begum, wife of Lal Chand Khalifa and a resident of Bejpara Main Road area. According to family sources, Shahidul left for his shop around 9:00 am on Tuesday after his wife Mariam asked him to eat outside, saying no food had been prepared. When he asked about his mother before leaving he was told that she had gone out. However, when he returned home around 10:00 pm and still did not find her he grew suspicious and informed police. Later, around 12:30 am, he noticed a sack lying in front of the house. After opening it, he and his sister Shahida Begum identified the body as that of Sakina Begum. Police later recovered the body from the spot. Kotwali Police Inspector Kazi Babul said investigation is underway.

Local residents in Golapganj upazila blocked a regional highway on Tuesday evening, protesting prolonged power outages that they claimed have left many areas nearly 16-17 hours a day without electricity. The demonstration on the Sylhet-Zakiganj-Beanibazar regional highway, organised by the residents of Fulbari union, lasted for around two hours and caused severe traffic congestion. Locals said they have been facing acute suffering for days due to erratic electricity supply, with Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinees forced to study under candlelight. The blockade began around 7:00pm, halting vehicular movement on the highway. Tension escalated during the protest, prompting deployment of the army. A team of army personnel arrived at the scene around 8:30pm and brought the situation under control, clearing the road. The residents demanded uninterrupted electricity supply, warning that they will launch a tougher movement if the demand is not met.

At least seven people were killed and several others injured in separate road accidents in Jhenaidah, Dinajpur, Mymensingh and Pabna districts on Tuesday. In Jhenaidah, two teenage motorcyclists were killed after being crushed by a truck in Sadar upazila in the evening. The deceased were identified as Arif Hossain, 17, son of Mizanur Rahman, and Sohan Ahmed, 17, son of Shipon Ahmed, both from Bijoypur village in Sadar upazila. According to police, the two teenagers were returning home from Jhenaidah town on a motorcycle. At that time, the motorcycle was hit by a Mahindra vehicle at Pachmile, causing it to fall under a truck. Both victims were crushed by the truck and died on the spot. In Dinajpur’s Birol upazila, a two-month-old baby was killed after being run over by a ‘Hanif Paribahan’ bus while in its mother’s arms. The incident occurred in the Narabari area in the evening. The child had come to visit relatives with the mother but died instantly in the accident. The mother and five other women were injured in the accident. Officer-in-Charge of Birol Police Station Al Imran said the child was killed in a bus-related accident, adding that the victim’s family is not interested in filing a case. In Mymensingh, two people, including a child, were killed and three others injured in a head-on collision between a tractor and a Mahindra vehicle in the Shambhuganj area on the Mymensingh-Netrokona road around 7:45pm. The deceased were identified as Rabeya Khatun, 60, and a one-and-a-half-year-old child named Toufiq. In Pabna, an 18-year-old madrasah student, Jesmin Akter Ritu, was killed in a road accident in the Pakshi area of Ishwardi upazila. Ritu, an Alim examinee and daughter of Zahidul Islam of Saraikandi village under Muladuli union, was travelling in a CNG-run auto-rickshaw with her father when her scarf got entangled in the vehicle’s wheel. She lost balance, fell onto the road, and sustained critical injuries that led to her death.

Jhenaidah, Apr 21 (UNB) - Two teenage motorcyclists were killed after being crushed by a truck in Sadar upazila of Jhenaidah on Tuesday evening. The deceased were identified as Arif Hossain, 17, son of Mizanur Rahman, and Sohan Ahmed, 17, son of Shipon Ahmed, both from Bijoypur village in Sadar upazila. The accident occurred around 6:30pm in the Pachmile area on the Jhenaidah-Magura road. According to police, the two teenagers were returning home from Jhenaidah town on a motorcycle. At that time, the motorcycle was hit by a Mahindra vehicle, causing it to fall under a truck. Both victims were crushed by the truck and died on the spot. Officer-in-Charge of Sadar Police Station Shamsul Arefin said the bodies were recovered and sent to Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital morgue.