United News of Bangladesh

A private hospital in Chandpur was shut down on Wednesday following a shocking incident in which a newborn, initially declared dead, was found alive during burial. Faruk Hossain Gazi, 45, a ward boy at The United Hospital in Talatala, was arrested over the incident. The baby, born at the same hospital on Sunday, moved while being buried at the Chandpur municipal cemetery and was later taken to a nearby hospital for treatment but did not survive. A mobile court led by Chandpur Sadar Upazila Assistant Commissioner (Land) and Executive Magistrate Bappi Dutta Rony conducted an inspection at the hospital on Wednesday evening and ordered its closure. Local residents claimed that the hospital had been running illegal operations for a long time. During the mobile court inspection, authorities found no doctors present and the hospital lacked proper operation theatre, pathology facilities and post-operative care arrangements. Its documents and licenses were also not up to date. The mobile court imposed a fine of Tk 5,000 on the hospital, sealed the operation theatre, pathology, and related rooms and instructed that all patients be shifted to other facilities within 24 hours. The findings will be forwarded to the civil surgeon, who may take further action, including canceling the hospital’s registration. In connection with the incident, the assistant caretaker of the municipal cemetery, Md. Shahjahan Miazi, filed a case today at Chandpur Sadar Model Police Station naming several unidentified individuals as suspects. Chandpur’s century-old municipal clinic closes leaving poor in distress Officials present during the mobile court included Dr. Rafiqul Hasan Faisal, Sadar Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer, and Md. Mizanur Rahman, Assistant Director of the District Department of Narcotics Control. Police from Chandpur Sadar Model Thana assisted the operation.

Police in Homna upazila of Cumilla on Wednesday arrested a 35-year-old man, Mohsin, for allegedly making belligerent remarks about Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) on social media. The arrest took place around noon in Fakirbari area of Achadpur village. Later in the evening, Shariful Islam, organizational secretary of Bangladesh Islami Jubo Sena Homna branch, filed a case against Mohsin at Homna police station. Mohsin is the son of Alek Shah of the same village. According to police, Mohsin posted the offensive content from his Facebook account “Bemja Mohsin” at 10:52am on Wednesday. The post allegedly hurt religious sentiments of Muslims. Locals gathered outside the police station in protest, demanding exemplary punishment. Homna UNO Khemalika Chakma and ASP Abdul Karim also visited the station following the unrest. Police said Mohsin had previously made controversial religious posts from the same account on August 29, sparking local outrage. Man held over the killing of mother, daughter in Cumilla Local leaders of Islami Jubo Sena and Islami Front claimed Mohsin had a history of posting provocative content online and demanded strict legal action, including capital punishment. Homna police OC Muhammad Rafiqul Islam said Mohsin would be sent to Cumilla district jail after court proceedings.

The body of a college student was recovered from Bonkolapara area in Subidbazar, Sylhet city on Wednesday. The deceased was identified as Azman Ahmed, 20, son of Rashed Ahmed. Azman was a class 12 student at Scholars Home, Shahi Eidgah Campus in the city. According to the school sources, Azman failed in five subjects in the 2026 HSC pre-examination. His body was recovered by police around 5:30 pm. Locals said that after learning about his exam results, Azman hanged himself in his room. Body of unknown man found in Sylhet’s Gowainghat, police investigating Airport police recovered the body and sent it to Osmani Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy. Airport Police Officer-in-Charge Syed Anisur Rahman said, “Police are at the scene. More details will be shared later.”

A five-year-old girl died after being bitten by a poisonous snake at Kallyanpur Mondolpara in Gangni upazila of Meherpur on Wednesday evening. The deceased Maisha Akter was the daughter of Enamul Haque of Kallyanpur village. Family members said Maisha was playing near a pond beside her house when a snake bit her. She began crying, and her family rushed her to Gangni Hospital, where doctors declared her dead. 8-year old girl dies in Meherpur snakebite Dr M.K. Reza, a physician at the hospital’s emergency department, said Maisha had been bitten by a poisonous snake, and the venom spread rapidly through her body. "She died before reaching the hospital," he added.

Three people, including a mother and her son, were killed in separate road crashes in Habiganj on Wednesday. A passenger bus of Saudía Paribahan ran over Shamima Akhter, 45, and her son Tawki, 4, when they were crossing the road in front of Dinarpur College of Nabiganj upazila on the Dhaka–Sylhet highway. They died on the spot. The victims were residents of Sagardighi’s Paschimpara area in Baniachong upazila. Later in the afternoon, another accident occurred in the Olipur area of Shayestaganj upazila on the same highway. A mini pickup van collided head-on with a passenger bus, leaving the pickup driver, Md Forkan Mia, 27, dead on the spot. Forkan was from Bagerhat and was returning to Dhaka from Sylhet. Both accidents caused heavy traffic congestion on the highway. 30 injured in clash over Tk 40 in Habiganj Sherpur Highway Police OC Abu Taher Dewan said police recovered the bodies and restored traffic movement. Both buses were seized, but the drivers and their assistants managed to flee, he added.

Alarmed by a sluggish start in development expenditure, the government will hold an inter-ministerial meeting next week to review why implementation of the Annual Development Programme (ADP) in the first two months of FY2025-26 fell below last year’s level. Talking to reporters after the ECNEC meeting at the NEC conference room, Planning Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud on Wednesday said the ADP implementation in July–August this year stood at just 2.39 percent, slightly down from 2.57 percent in the same period of FY2024-25. Historically, the rate hovers between 3 and 4 percent in the first two months, raising concerns about the slower momentum this year. “We had expected a faster start this time, but that hasn’t happened. That is why we have convened an inter-ministerial meeting to identify the bottlenecks and find solutions,” the adviser said. Government scraps contract of BFIU head Shahinul Islam He pointed to several reasons behind the delay, including frequent revisions, transfers of project directors and contractors leaving projects midway. “Traditionally, project directors are drawn from government officials. But now many are unwilling to take on that role despite the added benefits, which is unusual.” The adviser also flagged instances of irregularities in certain projects—such as land acquisition without prior approval and unauthorized expenditure beyond sanctioned allocations. One project was recently shut down after spending a few crores of taka on land acquisition without clearance, although the government will still have to bear Tk 20 crore in costs. On a positive note, he said ministries and advisers in charge of large sectors like water resources, railways, public works, power, and energy are now taking extra time before inviting tenders. “They are waiting to apply the new forms and procedures we have introduced to ensure greater discipline and curb irregularities,” he noted. The government also plans to finalise the revised budget earlier this year—by mid-February—instead of the usual schedule, the adviser informed.

A man was beaten to death on theft suspicion at Jangalia village in Mohammadpur upazila of Magura on Tuesday. The victim was identified as Israfil, 40, son of Atiyar Rahman of the village. Mohammadpur police officer-in-charge (OC) Abdur Rahman said  some villagers  dragged Israfil out of his home around 6:30 am on Tuesday and beat up  mercilessly accusing him of stealing three mobile phone sets Tk 1,600, leaving him injured. 'Thief’ beaten to death in Feni Later police rescued him along with locals and rushed to Mohammadpur Upazila Health Complex where he succumbed to his injuries. His body sent to 250-bed Magura Hospital for autopsy. The OC said a murder case has been filed at Mohammadpur Police Station and the investigation is ongoing.

Train services on Rangpur-Lalmonirhat-Bogura route resumed on Wednesday morning, nearly 18 hours after the derailment of six bogies of a train near Pirgachha Railway Outer Signal in Pirgachha upazila of Rangpur district. Deputy Commissioner of Rangpur Rabiul Faisal said the train communication resumed around 6am on Wednesday after the derailed coaches were removed from the track. A departmental investigation panel, headed by Lalmonirhat Railway Divisional Transport Officer Abdullah Al Mamun, has been formed to determine the cause of the derailment. But no timeframe has been set to submit a report in this regard.  Earlier, around 1 pm on Tuesday, six coaches of the passenger train Padmarag derailed near Pirgacha Railway Station in Rangpur, disrupting train services along the Santahar-Lalmonirhat route. Derailment halts train movement on Rangpur-Lalmonirhat-Bogura route Relief operations took over 11 hours, with two relief trains dispatched—one from Lalmonirhat and another from Parbatipur—to remove the derailed coaches. The removal of the detained coaches concluded around midnight and train operations resumed from Wednesday morning. Passengers blamed rotten wooden sleepers, lack of ballast, and prolonged neglect of track maintenance for the accident. Many reported losing personal belongings. Statistics show that Bangladesh Railways operates 2,800 km of track, with 1,427 km in the western region, mostly meter-gauge lines in poor condition. Rangpur Divisional Commissioner Shahidul Islam and DC DC Robiul Faisal said the local administration coordinated closely with the railway during the rescue operation.  

A man was hacked to death allegedly by his cousin and five others of his family sustained serious injuries over a trivial matter in Kanaighat upazila of Sylhet on Tuesday afternoon. The deceased was identified as Nurul Islam, 48, a day labourer of Haratail Rangarai village under Barachutul union. The attack took place around 5pm at Nurul Islam’s residence, police and locals said. According to locals, Nurul Islam, son of late Ayub Ali, had long been in conflict with his cousin Babul Ahmed over homestead land. On Tuesday afternoon, Nurul’s young son allegedly defecated near the boundary of Babul’s land, which triggered a violent altercation. Soon after, Babul, his son Mumin Ahmed and several family members, both male and female, allegedly stormed into Nurul’s house armed with sharp weapons and launched a brutal attack. Nurul, his wife Rina Begum and their five children were hacked indiscriminately, leaving them severely injured. Neighbours rushed the victims to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared Nurul Islam dead. His wife Rina Begum remains in critical condition and had not regained consciousness as of 8pm. Union Parishad member Taj Uddin described Nurul Islam as a poor day labourer who used to work at Chatul Bazar to feed his nine children. His body has been kept at the hospital morgue for autopsy. Kanaighat Police Station’s second officer SI Nur Hossain said drives are underway to arrest the attackers. Confirming the incident, Kanaighat Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abdul Awal said he has visited the scene.

Muggers snatched Tk 12.5 lakh in cash and a motorcycle after attacking a businessman in broad daylight in Rajshahi city on Tuesday. The incident took place around 2pm at Baharampur Nimtola Piajir Mor under Rajpara Police Station. The victim, Md Chand Mia, 40, a resident of Shilpipara in Sapura Mathurdanga under Boalia Police Station, sustained severe injuries to his head, forehead and nose. He is now undergoing treatment at ward 33 of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. Chand said he was carrying Tk 12.5 lakh on his motorcycle when a group of young men intercepted him. One of them snatched the motorcycle key while another struck him on the head with a stick, leaving him unconscious. “When I regained consciousness, both the money and my motorcycle were gone,” he said. The registration number of the snatched motorcycle is ‘Raj Metro-L-12-6432’. Rajpara Police Station Sub-Inspector Taj Uddin said police rushed to the spot and collected CCTV footage from nearby cameras. Efforts are underway to identify those involved. He added that the snatching of the motorcycle has been confirmed, but whether the money was also taken could not be verified yet. “We will be able to confirm the matter after speaking to the victim once his condition improves, and legal action will follow,” the SI said.