United News of Bangladesh

On the occasion of the Victory Day more than 5,000 fishermen living in the estuary of Bay of Bengal at Dublar Char took part in the oath   to the nation led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. On Thursday afternoon, thousands of people from different walks of life in Bagerhat district gathered at Sheikh Helal Uddin Stadium to recite the oath with PM virtually. Bagerhat District Commissioner Mohammad Azizur Rahman and Muhammad Belayet Hossain, divisional forest officer (DFO-East) of Sundarbans confirmed the fishermen spontaneously participated in taking the oath to build the country as a developed, prosperous and non-communal ‘Sonar Bangla’. Also read: Victory Day celebrated with a vow to build prosperous ‘Sonar Bangla’ The PM conducted the nationwide oath at 4:30pm from the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad, which was broadcast live through Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar and other private TV channels. People from the country’s eight divisional cities and different grassroots took the oath. Bangabandhu’s youngest daughter, Sheikh Rehana, was present. Also read: Will build Bangladesh as prosperous ‘Sonar Bangla’, nation renews vow

Two school students died and another two youths sustained injuries in Noakhali Sadar Upazila on Wednesday night after they fell from a pick-up van during campaign for a UP chairman candidate, witnesses said. The deceased were identified as Meheraz Uddin, 12, a student of class six in Thekarhat Hazi Ahmmod Ulla High School and Md Samrat,11, a student of class five from Udoy Sadhurhat Ikra Pre-Cadet Academy. Injured Md Rasel, 20, and Md Jaynal, 21, were being treated at Noakhali General Hospital. The incident occurred around 7:30 pm Wednesday during the election campaign of Awami League nominated Charmotua UP chairman candidate Kamal Uddin Bablu at Monarkhil village. Also read: Two children drown in Faridpur pond According to locals, some 8-10 local school students joined  the campaign on a pick-up van. As the vehicle reached in front of a Mazar at Monarkhil village the side door of the van suddenly opened and some of the students fell down. Meheraz died on the spot crushed by the van while Samrat succumbed to his injuries around 2 am on the way to Dhaka Hospital, said Syed Mohiuddin Ahmed Fazle Azim, Resident Medical Officer of Noakhali General Hospital. About the incident, Al-backed candidate Bablu said two children died while attending a Victory Day rally in a pick-up van as the driver made a hard break. “It was not my election campaign where the accident occurred,” he claimed. Also read:Microbus-truck collision leaves 3 children dead in Sunamganj Zakir Hossain, Inspector (investigation)of Sudharampur police station said no one has lodged any complaint yet. Actions will be taken after getting the complaint, he said.

Two people including a 10-year-old child were killed in two separate road accidents in Gurudaspur upazila of Natore district on Thursday. Quoting locals, Officer-in-Charge of Gurudaspur Police Station, Abdul Motin said, 10-year-old Sabbir was hit by a motorcycle near Nayapara area of the upazila, and died on the spot. Also read: 8-yr-old girl killed in Dinajpur road accident The motorcyclist managed to flee the scene after the incident, the OC added. In another incident, Sanowarul Islam, 23,  was run over by a speeding bus in Nayabazar area of the upazila. Also read: 2 killed, 3 injured in road accident in Dinajpur

Police claimed to have detained four activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami, in Sadar upazila on Thursday morning. The arrestees have been identified as Mehedi Hasan, 21, Mohammad Ali, 18, Md. Miyad, 18, and Nasir Uddin, 24. Emranul Islam, officer-in-charge of Brahmanbaria Sadar police station, said the four were picked up from a rally on the occasion of Victory Day in the Fulbari area of the upazila. Legal action will be taken against them after questioning, the OC added.  

An eight-year-old girl returning home after attending Victory Day celebrations in her school died after being hit by a tractor in Dinajpur Thursday. The accident occurred around 11.30am in the busy Ghughuratoli area of the district's Chirirbandar upazila. The deceased was identified as Sumaiya, daughter of Monjer Ali of Fakirpara village in the upazila. She was a Class III student of Daffodil School. Eye-witnesses said that Sumaiya was hit by the tractor while she was crossing a road in the area. She died on the spot in the impact. Officer in-charge of the Chirirbandar police station, Subrata Kusar said they have seized the tractor trolley.

A class III student was found dead with his throat slit near his school in Pangasia village of Singra upazila on Wednesday night. The deceased was identified as Asif, son of Bhulu Mia of the village. Police said Asif went to school on Wednesday morning but didn't return till late evening, following which his parents started searching for him. "Locals spotted the boy's body near the primary school around 10pm and informed us," said Mozammel Haque, a sub-inspector at Singra police Station. "The body was taken into custody and sent to the local hospital morgue for an autopsy," he said.

As many as 100 saltwater crocodiles have been released in the Sundarbans marking the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The saltwater crocodiles were released on Wednesday in various rivers and canals in four ranges of the Sundarbans. Read:Sundarbans tourism: Now focus on automation to improve services Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Begum Habibun Nahar inaugurated the program by releasing crocodiles in the canal adjacent to the Karamjal Wildlife Breeding Center in the Sundarbans. Muhammad Belayet Hossain, Divisional Forest Officer of Sundarbans East Division, the released saltwater crocodiles were born at different times in the Karamjal Crocodile breeding center in the Sundarbans. The Forest Department established the Crocodile Breeding Center at Karamjal in the Sundarbans in 2000 for the purpose of breeding and conservation of almost extinct saltwater crocodiles in the country with two crocodiles named Romeo and Juliet. Read: Red tapes are holding back the much-hyped Sundarbans conservation project Earlier, more than a hundred crocodiles born in breeding centers at different times were released in the Sundarbans. At present, there are 94 crocodiles of different ages in the breeding center, according to the forest department. Chief Conservator of Forests Amir Hossain Chowdhury and Conservator of Forests of Khulna Region Mihir Kumar Do were present among others at the event.

Police arrested a man in connection with a case filed for violating a housewife in Sadar upazila, from Kahardanga village in Fakirhat upazila early Wednesday. The arrestee was identified as Rubel Hawladar, 26, son of Zakir Hawladar of Badekarapara in Sadar upazila. Tipped off, a joint team of Rab-6 and police conducted a drive in the area and arrested Rubel, said KM Azizul Islam, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station. Read: 3 youths arrested for raping housewife in Patuakhali A 23-year-old woman was raped allegedly by a young man at Badekarapara village in Bagerhat Sadar upazila early Tuesday. Police said Rubel Hawladar, 26, a youth from neighboring Polghat village, entered the woman’s house and raped her after threatening to kill her minor daughter in the early hours of Tuesday. Also read: 2 death-row convicts to be executed for killing two women after rape Rubel also looted cash Tk 47,000 and gold jewelries from the house, alleged the woman. Superintendent of Police Mahmud Hasan of Bagerhat Sadar Circle said another youth Sajal was detained for his suspected involvement in the incident.

A four-member committee was formed on Wednesday to investigate the fire that killed five workers at a plastic factory at Santahar in Adamdighi upazila of Bogura district. The committee, headed by Additional District Magistrate Salahuddin, has been asked to submit its report within seven working days. Read: Five burned to death in Bogura factory fire The other members of the committee are—Adamdighi Upazila Nirbahi Officer, the representatives of the Department of Inspection for Factories and the Directorate of Fire Service and Civil Defense. Also on Wednesday the charred bodies of five workers, recovered from the factory, were handed over to the family members. Read:Fire spreads panic in CCU patients at Barishal hospital; 1 dies of heart attack The fire occurred on Tuesday. The deceased were identified as Siam, 13, Shahjahan, 24, Bijoy, 14, Belal Hossain, 43 and Abdul Khalek, 35 of the upazila.

A 55-year-old woman was beaten to death for demanding her debt money back in Durarkuti Colony in Aditmari upazila of Lalmonirhat district on Tuesday. The deceased was identified as Rahima Begum, wife of Abdul Mannan of the upazila. Read: Police find Tk 66 lakh in cash in abandoned bag in Lalmonirhat Quoting local people, Moktarul Islam, officer-in-charge of Lalmonirhat Police Station, said one Saiful Islam, 30, son of Abdul Goni has a scrap shop adjacent to the house of Rahima. He took Tk 70,000 from Rahima as loan for business purposes and did not return the money yet. When Rahima asked for the money, Saiful lodged a complaint with Aditmari Police Station. While investigating the incident, local people came to know about the incident and they along with Rahima went to Saiful’s shop to know the reason behind filing a complaint against her. Read: Rising Teesta: Flash floods snap Lalmonirhat-Rangpur road link Angered by the incident, Saiful beat Rahima up with a stick, leaving her injured. She was taken to a local hospital where the doctors declared her dead. Efforts are on to take legal action after investigation, said OC.