United News of Bangladesh

Gono Odhikar Parishad President Nurul Haque Nur on Friday alleged that fascist attitudes are still visible among many even after the fall of fascism. “Fascism has fallen and much of the danger has passed. Today, we see manifestations of fascist behaviour among many of us,” he said while addressing a rally at Poura Muktamancha in Brahmanbaria. The rally titled 'From the 2018 Quota Reform Movement to the 2024 Mass Uprising—Aspirations of the July Mass Uprising and State Reform' was organised by the district unit of Gono Odhikar Parishad. Nur said they had fought against the violence, extortion and land-grabbing perpetrated by Awami League, Jubo League, and Chhatra League.  3 DB police injured in attack during operation in Bogura “One year after the mass uprising, we are now seeing the recurrence of that extortion and land-grabbing among many of us,” he said. “We have shed fresh blood to present the nation with a new Bangladesh. An interim government has been formed, but it has so far failed to make progress in bringing fascists to justice. Though fascism has been banned, the bragging of its allies is still evident,” Nur added. Pointing out that Jatiya Party was an ally of Awami League to sustain the fascism in the last 16 years, he demanded its activities must be banned without delay. Nurul Haque, also the former Vice President of Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DACSU), said the movement was not to bring anyone to power or students and people did not sacrifice their lives to make someone an MP or minister. Gono Odhikar Parishad President demanded the implementation of state reform before the next national election. Later, Nur distributed cash assistance among the families of those killed during the anti-Modi movement and the July Uprising in the rally.

Continuous rainfall and runoff from upstream hills have caused river levels to rise significantly across Naogaon, with the Atrai River now flowing above the danger mark. As a result, at least 30 points along embankments and flood control dams on both banks of the river have been identified as vulnerable. According to the Water Development Board, as of 12 noon on Friday, the Atrai River was flowing 27 centimetres above the danger level at the Jotbazar point in Manda upazila. Meanwhile, the Chhota Jamuna River was flowing 37 centimetres below the danger level at the Liton Bridge point in Naogaon town. Other key monitoring points along the Atrai River also remained just below the danger line—68 centimetres below at Shimultali, 94 centimetres below at Mahadevpur, and 3 centimetres below at the Railway Bridge point in Atrai. The Punarbhaba River was recorded at 0.16 centimetres below the danger level at the Nitpur Porsha point. Flood miseries ease at Chapainawabganj as River Padma falls In Manda upazila, the situation is particularly concerning. Ten embankment points at Jotbazar have been marked as highly risky, and another 20 locations, including Laxmirampur, Ayyapur, Panjrabhanga, Palashbari, Mithapur, Nikhirapara, and Goalmanda, have been added to the high-risk list. Many of these points lie along the main flood control embankment. Manda Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Akhtar Jahan Sathi said that the water level of the Atrai River is rising rapidly, prompting the local administration to convene an emergency meeting as part of advance preparedness. She added that instructions have been issued to identify risky embankments and to keep essential materials such as sandbags, bamboo, and other supplies on standby. Authorities are also preparing shelters and stockpiling dry food to assist residents in the event of flooding. The situation is being closely monitored, she added. Md. Faizur Rahman, executive engineer of the Naogaon Water Development Board, said that water levels have been steadily increasing over the past week. All necessary precautionary measures have been taken in anticipation of potential flooding, he added.

Three policemen were severely injured in an attack on a Detective Branch (DB) team during an operation to arrest an accused in Choksutrapur Haddipotti area of Bogura Sadar on Thursday night. The incident occurred around 9:30 pm when the DB police team went to arrest Rony, 30, accused of a theft case filed in Shahjahanpur Police Station. According to the source of police, Rony started shouting for after being detained  and around 70-80 people led by fugitive Shapla Khatun and her husband Ashik attacked them sticks, rods and sharp weapons, severely injuring ASI Hasan Ali, two other constables, Modaser Hossain and Sojib Hossain. Police claimed that Shapla attempted to slash ASI with a machete, at first, and then Constable Modasser which caused serious injury in his left hand. 2 friends killed in Bogura road crash Constable Sojib was struck with an iron rod causing grave wounds on his back. On information, additional police led by the Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle), OC of Sadar Police Station and DB in-charge reached the spot and arrested six people with the help of locals. They are Rony, 34, Shamim, 60, Israfil Hossain, 40, Kabir Hossain, 24, Behula ,35, and Rubi Begum, 34. Iqbal Bahar, OC of the district DB Police, said that the attackers attempted to carry out lethal attacks on police. Efforts are underway to arrest the others.

A mother and her two-month-old son were tragically killed after falling from a motorcycle and being crushed under the wheels of a truck at the Sonali Bank intersection in Birampur upazila of Dinajpur on Friday morning. The incident occurred around 11:30am, said SM Jahangir, Sub-Inspector (SI) of Birampur Police Station. The deceased were identified as Kohinoor Begum, a health assistant at the local union health centre, and her infant son, Risat Kaif. They were residents of Dhanghara village in the same upazila. Ferry services disrupted as two ghats collapse in Paturia  Kohinoor was travelling with her husband, Golam Rabbani, towards her father's house in Hili. According to eyewitnesses, the accident occurred when the motorcycle, driven by Golam Rabbani, was forced to brake suddenly after an auto-rickshaw in front came to an abrupt stop. The sudden break caused the motorcycle to lose balance and fall in the path of an oncoming truck. Kohinoor and her child were crushed under the vehicle and died on the spot. Police recover 30 hand grenades from abandoned house in Shariatpur Miraculously, her husband escaped unhurt. Sub-Inspector Jahangir said that the family did not lodge any formal complaint. The bodies were handed over to the family following an initial post-mortem examination, he added. 3 demolition workers killed as roof of abandoned building collapses in Netrokona    

Ferry operations on the Paturia–Daulatdia route have been severely disrupted after two out of three ferry ghats at Paturia collapsed under the force of a strong current in the Padma River. Ghat number five was shut down completely following its collapse, while part of ghat number four gave way on Friday afternoon, forcing its temporary closure. Currently, all ferry movement is being handled through ghat number three, causing major delays and long queues of vehicles. Travel time across the four-kilometre river stretch has more than doubled, with ferries now taking over an hour due to the current. Passenger vehicles are facing delays of up to two hours, while goods trucks are waiting up to two days to cross.

A complaint has been filed against 42 people, including Mohiuddin Roni, a key organiser of the health sector reform movement, for allegedly attacking a human chain programme organised by doctors, nurses, and staff of Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital. Jewel Chandra Shil, the hospital’s ward master, submitted the complaint at the Kotwali Model Police Station late Thursday night. Mizanur Rahman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Kotwali Model Police Station, said they received a written complaint regarding the attack on the hospital employees. Further legal action will be taken in this regard subject to investigation, he added. Among the accused, 12 have been named, with the remaining 30 listed as unidentified individuals. Named in the complaint are Mohiuddin Roni, 30, Rakin, 25, Sunan, 24, Sifat, 23, Shamim, 25, Al Musa, 26, former anti-discrimination student leader Sifa, 22, student activist Dayan, 21 — who had reportedly fallen ill following a hunger strike at the hospital — content creators Kafi, 30, Md. Siam alias Nyabhai, 38, HM Abul Khair, 50, and hospital broker Nurun Nahar, 40. According to the complaint, around 11:30am on Thursday (14 August), hospital staff organised a peaceful human chain in front of the Shebachim Hospital gate, demanding a fair and safe working environment. Allegedly, the accused arrived armed with knives, iron rods, SS pipes, hockey sticks, and other makeshift weapons, and launched an attack on the participants. It is claimed that Mohiuddin Roni struck cleaning worker Rafiqul Patwari on the head with an iron rod, causing severe bleeding and injuries. Several others were also attacked, including office assistant Parvez, whose right hand was fractured; nanny Selina, who suffered an elbow injury; office assistant Rabbi, who sustained a fractured wrist; and cleaning worker Shamis, who sustained injuries to the hand. Other victims are cleaning workers Hasan, Shakib, Zakaria Rubel, office assistant Faisal Rabbi, ayah Sumrat Mondal, and lift operator Shakil. Furthermore, it has been alleged that female nurses and ayahs were subjected to sexual assault, with their salwar-kameez outfits torn during the violence. Local residents and bystanders rescued the hospital staff from the assailants. After regrouping to resume their human chain, the victims were once again threatened by the attackers before the latter fled the scene. A total of 11 injured staff members were later admitted to the hospital for treatment. In response to the incident, the hospital authorities have formed a five-member investigative committee, led by Deputy Director Dr SM Moniruzzaman Shaheen, as per an order from the hospital director, Brigadier General AKM Moshiul Munir. The committee has been tasked with submitting its findings within seven days. Sher-e-Bangla Medical College students’ class boycott enters day 4 Meanwhile, Mohiuddin Roni held an emergency press conference on Thursday afternoon at the Ashwini Kumar Hall premises on Sadar Road. He claimed that hospital staff had attacked their peaceful protest and hunger strike. He further alleged that the incident was instigated by the Director General of the Health Department. Despite the violence, Roni affirmed that the health sector reform movement would continue.

The water levels of rivers across Faridpur district have increased, causing sufferings to residents along the Padma, Madhumati, and Arial Khan rivers following inflow of water from upstream and continuous rainfall. According to the Faridpur Water Development Board (WDB), the Padma rose by 0.9 metres in the past 24 hours till 7am on Friday and is now flowing eight centimetres  above the danger level. Meanwhile, the River Arial Kha  is flowing 109 centimetres  above the danger mark while the Madhumati has also witnessed a rise. The flooding has affected 13 river-adjacent unions across four upazilas of the district, throwing transportation and daily life out of gear and triggering riverbank erosion. In Sadar upazila, residents of Dikrirchar and North Channel unions are now relying on boats for commuting as roads and footpaths are submerged. Flood miseries ease at Chapainawabganj as River Padma falls Former North Channel UP chairman Md. Mostakuzzaman warned that prolonged water rise could lead to fodder shortages on the chars. Md. Rakib Hossain, executive engineer of the district WDB, said the overflows have caused erosion in several areas, forcing them to place sand-filled geo-bags at critical points to prevent further erosion.

The water level at River Padma has started to fall in Chapainawabganj bringing some relief to flood-hit areas. For days, floodwater from upstream had inundated low-lying areas of Alatuli and Narayanpur unions in Sadar upazila, Paka, Ujirpur, Durlovpur and Monaksha unions in Shibganj upazila. Many houses still remain waterlogged while roads are submerged disrupting movement. Large areas of land with Aush, Aman, maize and various vegetables are still under water. Feni’s Muhuri, Selonia rivers still above danger level; floodwaters likely to recede Ahsan Habib, an engineer at the local Water Development Board, said the Padma’s water level dropped by 1 cm in the past 24 hours. At 9am Friday, water at the Pankha point was flowing 33 cm below the danger mark, he added.

Police recovered at least 30 hand grenades from an abandoned house belonging to an expatriate in the Poragachha area of Char Union in Naria Upazila on Thursday. According to local and police sources, the property belongs to Milan Madabar, a long-time expatriate residing in Oman. The house had been unoccupied for an extended period. Tipped-off, police conducted a raid at the premises on Thursday afternoon and discovered 30 hand grenades stored in five buckets. Following the recoveries, a bomb disposal unit was called to the scene to secure and examine the explosives. Dr Ashiq Mahmud, additional superintendent of Police (Naria Circle), said police have been on high alert due to potential threats of sabotage around 15 August. An investigation is underway to determine who stored the explosives and with what intent, he said. Law enforcement authorities said that efforts are ongoing to identify and apprehend those involved.

Three workers were killed and two others seriously injured when the roof of an old building collapsed during demolition work at the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) Irrigation Office in the Nagra area of Netrokona district town. The deceased were identified as Dipu Mia of Palashhati village in Sadar Upazila, Hannan Mia of Haludati village, and Salam Mia of Abhaypasha village in Atpara Upazila. According to police and eyewitnesses, the building had been abandoned for a long time, and demolition work was underway when a large section of the roof suddenly collapsed trapping several workers underneath. On information, police and fire service personnel rushed to the scene and recovered the bodies of the three victims. Two critically injured were immediately taken to Netrokona Modern Sadar Hospital for treatment. Kazi Shah Newaz, officer-in-charge of Netrokona Model Police Station, said the fire service and police recovered the bodies and sent the injured to hospital for urgent medical care. Following the tragedy, district administration officials visited the site and extended financial assistance to the families of the deceased to support funeral arrangements. Authorities have announced that an investigation committee will be formed to determine the exact cause of the collapse.