United News of Bangladesh

In keeping with Saudi Arabia, residents of a number of villages in Satkhira, Faridpur, Barishal and Chandpur districts are celebrating the holy Eid-ul-Azha on Saturday. Saudi Arabia and a number of countries across the world are celebrating the festival of sacrifice on Saturday. But Bangladesh is slated to celebrate Eid on Sunday. In Satkhira, people from 20 villages in Sadar upazila, including Baukhola, have started the Eid celebrations. The main congregation was held at Satkhira Sadar's Bhaokhola Purbopara Jame Mosque at 8am. Imam Mohabbat Ali conducted the congregation with a small number of Muslim devotees. Read: Denied Eid dress, teen ends life in Pabna In Faridpur, thousands from 10 villages of Faridpur's Boalmari upazila are celebrating Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest festival of the Muslims, in keeping with Saudi Arabia. Muslims of Shekhar union's Sahasrail, Maitkomra, Rakhaltali, Ganganandapur, Baragaon, Durgapur and Rupapat union's Katagor and Kalimajhi follow Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries while celebrating Eid. Like every year, the main Eid congregations of the upazila were held in Rakhaltali, Mitcomra and Sahasrail. In Chandpur, residents of 40 villages in Chandpur district are celebrating Eid on Saturday amid much enthusiasm and religious fervour. The villagers of Barishal, Sreepur, Monihar, Barkul, Olipur, Belcho, Razargaon, Jakni, Kalcho, Menapur in Hajiganj upazila, Sachonmegh, Khila Ubhayarampur, Paikpara, Bigha, Uttoli, Balithuba, Sholla, Rupsha, Goalbhaor, Koroitoli, Noyarhat in Faridganj upazila, Mahanpur, Ekhlaspur, Dashani, Nayergaon,, Beltoli in Matlab South and Kachua upazilas are celebrating Eid. Also read: Mad rush at Paturia ghat ahead of Eid The main Eid congregation was held this morning on Shadra Senior Madrasa premises in Shadra village under Hajiganj upazila. In Barishal, the holy Eid is being celebrated in advance in some villages of six upazilas of the district. Around 20,000 devotees of Babuganj, Hijla, Mehendiganj, Bakerganj and three areas of Barisal metropolis offered Eid prayers in the congregations from 8 am to 9 am. Maminuddin Kalu, president of Shahsufi Jahagiri Mosque in Barishal city, said they offered their Eid jamaat following the government's directives and maintaining all Covid-safety protocols.

With a day remaining for Eid-ul-Azha, sales of sacrificial animals at Bagerhat cattle markets gained momentum on Friday. Buyers, traders and middlemen from different parts of the country and neighboring districts are thronging different cattle markets of the district. The Betaga cattle market at Fakirhat upazila has been crowded since Friday morning as thousands of cows of different sizes of domestic and foreign breeds have been brought to the market. Cattles will be sold at this market till late at night. However, buyers alleged that the price of cattle is on average much higher than last year. Visiting the playground of Foylahat Kamal Uddin Secondary School in Rampal upazila on Thursday afternoon, this UNB correspondent found cows were being unloaded from trucks and pickups at the makeshift market. Khulna’s Niamul Islam, who brought two of the famous Holstein breed cows at Foylahat for sale, said he has set up a cattle farm at his home for the last three years.  He fixed the price of the iconic Holstein Friesian cow, also popular locally as 'Australian Cow', weighing 14 maunds, at Tk 5.20 lakh. However, the buyers have offered Tk 4.50 lakh. Meanwhile, Russell Gazi, a would-be buyer from Rampal upazila, said the price is very high this year. “We are struggling to buy a cow within my budget.” Cattle traders and farmers said increased price of fodder p has made them fix their cattle’s price at a higher rate. Read: DSCC Control Room to oversee waste disposal on Qurbani Eid “Our labour will go in vain if we don’t get a reasonable price by selling the cattle,” they added. Gazi Akhtaruzzaman, the lessee of Faylahat, said that six to seven thousand cows have been brought to the market for sale. There are also a few thousand goats. Farmers and traders from different districts including Bagerhat, Khulna, Satkhira and Jashore have brought their cows to the market. CCTV cameras have been installed in the market for the convenience of both buyers and sellers. Besides, the rent is being collected in accordance with the government rules, he added. Bagerhat District Livestock Officer Lutfar Rahman said 50,000 cows and 70,000 goats are ready to be sold in the district this year ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. Bagerhat Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Azizur Rahman said eighteen haats (makeshift cattle markets) were set up in Bagerhat. Also machines have been set up to detect counterfeit notes at the cattle market.    

Thousands of people from 10 villages of Faridpur's Boalmari upazila will celebrate Eid-ul-Azha, the feast of the sacrifice, Saturday in keeping with Saudi Arabia. Muslims of Shekhar union's Sahasrail, Maitkomra, Rakhaltali, Ganganandapur, Baragaon, Durgapur and Rupapat union's Katagor and Kalimajhi follow Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries while celebrating Eid. Like every year, the main Eid congregations of the upazila will be held in Rakhaltali, Mitcomra and Sahasrail. Read: One million pilgrims begin standing at Arafat, marking climax of Hajj Mahidul Haque, an assistant professor at Alfadanga Government Degree College, said: "As the followers of Mirzakhil Pir, we observe Ramadan, Eid-ul-Fitr, and Eid-ul-Azha in line with the dates of such practices in Saudi Arabia." The majority of the Muslims in the country will, however, celebrate Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest religious festival of Muslims, Sunday. The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Moon Sighting Committee.

Thirty Eid holidaymakers were injured after their bus overturned and fell into a roadside ditch in Sylhet's Golapganj upazila Friday, police said. The accident occurred on Sylhet-Zakiganj-Beanibazar Road in Phulbari union around 6.30pm. "The bus was travelling with 30 passengers on board from Sylhet to Zakiganj when the driver lost control of the vehicle, leading to the accident. Locals rescued the passengers and rushed them to the upazila health complex and Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital, " said Haroon Aur Rashid, officer-in-charge of Golapganj Police Station. Read: Holidaymakers suffer in 30km tailback on Dhaka-Tangail highway "Efforts are on to nab the bus driver who fled after the accident," the officer said. Road accidents are common in Bangladesh. At least 2,329 people, including 291 women and 381 children, were killed and 4,361 others injured in 2,159 road accidents across the country in the first half of the current year, says a new report by the Road Safety Foundation. The road accidents took place on highways, national, inter-district and regional roads between January 1 and June 30 across the country.  

A 30-kilometre tailback was created due to the increased number of vehicles on Dhaka-Tangail-Bangbandhu Bridge Highway in Tangail on Friday.Hundreds of vehicles with passengers, goods and cattle were moving very slowly on Dhaka-Tangail-Bangabandhu Bridge Highway due to long tailbacks, causing immense sufferings to Eid holidaymakers.‘The highway is witnessing a 30-kilometre traffic jam from Bangabandhu Bridge East side to Nagarjolfoi Bypass area of Tangail. The traffic jam has been created due to the increasing number of vehicles ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, according to Md Ataur Rahman, in-charge of Elenga Highway Police.Law enforcers are working to control traffic at various important points and intersections, he said, adding that surveillance has also been increased. Also read: Mawa-Bhanga expressway witnesses huge traffic snarl on first day of toll collectionVehicular movement would become normal as time advances, expected the officer.On Friday afternoon, People were seen going to their respective destinations using different vehicles, including cattle laden trucks, pickups, and motorcycles.Due to the tailback, the homebound passengers, especially children and women have become the worst sufferers with having no toilet facilities on their way.Roxana Akter, a Lalmonirhat-bound passenger, said she is worried about reaching home as it had taken more than eight hours to reach Elenga-Bhunapur link road in Kalihati upazila.She also claimed that on the way, while stuck in the tailback, they had paid astronomical prices for food and drinking water to the hawkers.

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested four people, including a cop, with 5,260 pieces of Yaba at Chattogram medical college area in the port city on Thursday night. The arrestees were identified as Upal Chakma, 45, a constable of special branch of Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP), his accomplices Nantu Dash, 42, Md Kamrul Islam, 30, and Md Gias Uddin, 42. Mokhlesur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner (DC-north) of the CMP, said on Friday that on secret information Rab members conducted a drive in front of a restaurant in the medical college area at around 10:45pm. He said the members of the elite force found the Yaba pills from the possession of the four men. Also Read: One lakh Yaba pills seized in Cox’s Bazar Md Shahidul Islam, Deputy Assistant Director of Rab-7, filed a case related to drug peddling against the four suspects at the local police station, the DC added.  

Manikganj's Paturia ghat has been witnessing a huge rush since Friday morning, as thousands from Dhaka head home to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha with their near and dear ones.   However, the number of people and vehicles at the ferry ghat is less than previous years, with several people from the southern and southwestern regions preferring buses plying via Padma Bridge over water vessels.   On the other hand, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) is monitoring the traffic in the ghat area. A total of 20 ferries are currently operating of 21 vessels.   Read: Chaos at Paturia ghat as 300 cars wait to cross Padma   According to Shah Khaled Newaz, deputy general manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC), Aricha region, the pressure of passengers has increased since morning.   Around 6,000-7,000 vehicles, including 3,600 bikes, have crossed the Padma river through Paturia ghat in the past 24 hours.   Manikganj superintendent of police Golam Azad Khan said that additional police force has been deployed in the ghat area to maintain law and order. "CCTV cameras have also been set up."

Two persons were killed and at least five others injured in a head-on collision between a truck and a bus in the Konabari area of Kamarkhand upazila in Sirajganj early on Friday. Of the deceased, one was identified as Shakil, 20, from Pirganj upazila of Rangpur district, while another remained unidentified, said Mosaddek Hasan, officer-in-charge of Bangabandhu Bridge East police station. The accident occurred around 3am when the passenger bus heading towards northern districts hit the truck coming from the opposite direction on the connecting highway to the east side of Bangabandhu Bridge, said the OC. Read: Two killed in Faridpur road accident The unidentified passenger died on the spot while Shakil succumbed to his injuries at Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib General Hospital where he was rushed to along with the other injured, he said. The accident triggered an hour-long jam on the busy highway, which eased after police removed the two ill-fated vehicles, said OC  Mosaddek.

A 15-year-old girl allegedly committed suicide in her house in  Pabna on Thursday as her parents could not buy her a dress for Eid-ul-Azha. The deceased was identified as Lata Khatun, a ninth grade student of Pachuria Muktijoddha Adarsha High School and daughter of Rowshan Ali from Bara Dahapara village of Pachuria union. Her father Rowshan Ali said, “We could only buy a dress for Lata’s brother Nayan this Eid due to financial constraints. Probably, my daughter was hurt and hanged herself from the ceiling around 9pm.” Read: KUET student commits suicide at home Both Lata’s parents went to meet their another daughter, Shathi Khatun, when Nayan found her sister hanging from the ceiling, said Md jalal Uddin, officer-in-charge of Chatmohar police station. A case of unnatural death has been filed in this regard, he said.

Two persons were killed when an auto-rickshaw overturned and caught fire after being hit by a speeding truck on the Dhaka-Khulna highway in Faridpur on Thursday night, police said. The accident occurred around 9.30pm in the Arkandi area of the busy highway in Faridpur's Madhukhali upazila, said Kankan Biswash, officer-in-charge of Kanaipur highway police station. Also read: Mother-daughter duo killed in Dinajpur road accident While one of the occupants of the auto-rickshaw died on the spot, another was declared dead on arrival by doctors at the upazila health complex, said OC Kankan. The identities of the deceased could not be known but they were both occupants of the auto-rickshaw, he said. Also read: Man killed in Chapainawabganj road accident "The truck has been seized and legal action will be taken in this regard," the OC added.