United News of Bangladesh

Two innocent bystanders suffered bullet injuries during a clash between two armed groups in Narayanganj’s notorious Chashara area on Thursday. The incident took place in front of Chandni House, where the victims were caught in the crossfire. They were later rescued and brought to the emergency department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH). The injured were identified as Imran (14) and Rakib (23). Imran, a Hifz student, lives in Panchabati area under Fatullah Police Station, while Rakib, a third-year degree student of Haji Misir Ali Degree College, is from Shantinagar area under the same police station. Rakib said he was shot in the right shoulder during the clash and initially taken to a local hospital before being shifted to DMCH for better treatment. Imran’s sister, Isha Moni, said he was shot in the abdomen while returning home from his madrasa and later admitted to hospital. Inspector Md Faruk, in-charge of the DMCH police camp, confirmed that two gunshot victims were brought from Narayanganj. One of them was admitted, while the other was released after treatment.

At least 30 small rooms were gutted in a fire that broke out at a slum in Diabari, Uttara, on Thursday evening. The blaze started at Oli Matborer Bosti around 6:40 pm, said Warehouse Inspector Anwarul Islam of the Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) headquarters media cell. Two units from Uttara Fire Station and three units from Tongi Fire Station rushed to the scene and brought the fire under control by around 7:15 pm. It was completely extinguished at about 8:20 pm. The fire may have originated from an electrical fault, the official said.

A local leader of Awami League has been beaten to death by miscreants in Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram district. The deceased was identified as Mohammad Shamim, organising secretary of ward No. 9 unit of Awami League, which faces a ban on its activities, of Sitakunda municipality and son of Abul Mansur of Shibpur under the municipality. Locals said Shamim had been staying at his in-laws’ house in the Madhyabhaterkhil area of Muradpur union. On Wednesday night, he was called out of the house by some people, Officer-in-Charge of Sitakunda Model Police Station Mohammad Mohinul Islam said, adding that they recovered his body around 1:00am on Thursday after receiving a call through the national emergency service hotline 999. Tendons of his legs were also severed, he said. The body was sent to Chattogram Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy. Police suspect that miscreants might have killed him over previous enmity. They arrested two individuals on suspicion of their involvement in the murder. Victim’s bother Md Selim said Shamim had been going through financial hardship and in hiding for a long time due to his political affiliation with the Awami League. 

Detectives have arrested former MP and President of Lalmonirhat district Awami Mohila League – Advocate Safura Begum Rumi – in the capital. A team of the district Detective Branch (DB) of police, with assistance from the local police station, picked her up from Mohammadpur area in Dhaka on Wednesday night, according to a press release issued on Thursday morning by Lalmonirhat Superintendent of Police Asaduzzaman. Safura Begum Rumi, wife of Abdullah of Taluk Khutamara area in Lalmonirhat town, is a former MP from a reserved women’s seat (Lalmonirhat-Kurigram) and also a member of the central Awami League. The press release said she is accused in five cases, including charges of sabotage and murder. Police claimed that she had been in hiding since August 5, 2024 when the Awami League government fell in the face of a mass upsurge. The DB traced her location using technology and subsequently arrested her in a drive, the statement said. Following the arrest, Safura Begum Rumi has been brought to Lalmonirhat to be produced before a court.

Voting in Sherpur-3 election and Bogura-6 by-polls began on Thursday morning. Polling in both parliamentary seats started at 7:30am and will continue until 4:30pm without any break. Earlier, the Election Commission completed all necessary preparations to hold voting in a free and fair manner. On February 24 last, the EC announced the election schedule for the two constituencies. The deadline for submission of nomination papers was March 2, while the scrutiny date of the nomination papers was March 5 and the last date for withdrawal of candidates was March 14. BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman contested the February-12 general election from two parliamentary constituencies – Bogura-6 and Dhaka-17 and he was elected from both seats. But Tarique Rahman vacated Bogura-6 and kept Dhaka-17. Besides, the EC on February 4 last cancelled the election to Sherpur-3 constituency, following the death of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Nuruzzaman Badal. The elections to 299 out of the country’s 300 constituencies (except Sherpur-3) were held on February 12. The EC published a gazette of 297 elected MP candidates on February 12, keeping the election result of Chattogram-2 and 4 constituencies withheld in line with the court’s decisions.

Two siblings drowned in a pond in Baniachong upazila of Habiganj on Wednesday afternoon. The victims, Sadia Akter, 6, and Jubayel Mia, 4, were children of Liton Mia of Maijer Mohalla area under the South-East Union of the upazila. Locals said the children were playing near a pond beside their house around 3:00 pm when they accidentally fell into the water. They were later rescued and taken to the Upazila Health Complex, where the on-duty doctor declared them dead on arrival. Sharif Ahmed, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Baniachong Police Station, confirmed the deaths.

A worker was killed and another seriously injured after a crane cable snapped while loading iron sheets at Benapole land port on Tuesday night. The deceased was identified as Shahjahan Ali, 45, son of Aftab, from Pathbari village of Benapole. The injured, Sohel Hossain, is the son of Mostafa from Sadipur village in the same area. Both were members of Benapole Handling Workers’ Union-891. Sohel said they were loading heavy iron sheets onto a Bangladeshi truck using a crane when the cable suddenly snapped due to a mechanical fault. Co-workers, with help from the fire service, rescued them and took them to Sharsha Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared Shahjahan dead. Sohel was later shifted to Jashore General Hospital for advanced treatment. Dr. Abdullah Al Mamun, on-duty officer at the health complex, said Shahjahan had died before being brought to the hospital. Sohel’s condition was critical, and he was referred to Jashore General Hospital, he added. Benapole Port Director Shamim Ahmed said the accident occurred due to a mechanical fault in the crane, adding that the injured worker remains in serious condition.

A member of the United People's Democratic Front (UPDF) was shot dead by miscreants over establishing supremacy at Akbari on the Khagrachhari-Rangamati road in Sadar upazila of Khagrachhari district on Wednesday. The deceased was identified as Newton Chakma, 47, son of Sonadhan Chakma of Rangamati district. Md Kai Kislu, officer-in-charge of Khagrachhari Sadar Police Station, said a group of eight miscreants stormed the house of Newton around 9:30am and opened fire on him, leaving him dead on the spot. UPDF leader shot dead in Khagrachhari Central organiser of UPDF (Prossit Group), Angya Marma, blamed a rival group for the killing, while Amar Joety Chakma, central organiser of UPDF (Democratic Group), denied the allegation. On information, police recovered the body and sent it to the local hospital morgue. Police are investigating to unearth the motive behind the killing, the OC said. A tense situation has been prevailing in the area over the incident.

Police recovered 12 slaughtered horses and rescued one sick horse from an abandoned house at Bhoberchar in Gazaria upazila of Munshiganj early Wednesday, creating panic among local residents. Locals said the house had long been used by an organised group to carry out illegal activities in secrecy. Sensing something suspicious, local people went to the spot and found the slaughtered horses, said police.   On information when police rushed to the spot the members of the gang fled the scene, leaving behind the carcasses. The group allegedly used to buy sick horses at low prices from different areas, slaughter them, and sell the meat to various hotels as beef. Police later recovered a mobile phone believed to have been used by the group. Gazaria Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Mahmudul Hasan said there is no legal provision for slaughtering horses under the Animal Slaughter and Meat Quality Control Act, 2011. No one could be detained at the scene and police are continuing efforts to identify and arrest those involved, he said. The recovered horse meat will be buried in the presence of representatives from the Department of Livestock and local union parishad members. The rescued horse is currently under treatment by the livestock department, he said.

An elderly man died after falling from the rooftop of a three-storey building during a sudden nor’wester coupled with rain in Chuadanga on Tuesday. The storm also uprooted trees in several areas, disrupting traffic, while farmers fear extensive crop damage. The severe winds swept through the district from 7:55pm to 9:05pm. The deceased was identified as Mokhlesur Rahman, 65, son of late Moazzem Hossain of Sardarpara village. Locals said the elderly man lost his balance while removing corrugated iron sheets from the roof of the building and fell. He was rushed to Chuadanga Sadar Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. The storm caused trees to fall along Chuadanga-Jhenaidah Road, including near Dingedeh and the BGB camp, temporarily blocking traffic. Fire Service and Civil Defence personnel, assisted by locals, cleared the roads. Reports of fallen trees also reported on Chuadanga-Jibannagar and Chuadanga-Meherpur roads.