United News of Bangladesh

A total of 1,714 out of 2,528 mobile network sites in Sylhet, Sunamganj and Netrokona districts were re-connected till Saturday. Some 190 such sites are still out of network due to lack of electricity in these three districts, which the authorities hope will be connected shortly. Three Nationwide Telecommunication Transmission Network (NTTN) operators (Bahon Limited, Fiber at Home Limited and Summit Communications Limited) provide mobile networks in the three flood-prone districts. Most of the Link Peripheral Processors (LPP) of these network providers are currently active. Read: Flood situation remains grim across country The number of active LPPs also increased till Friday. A total of 105 Internet Service Providers (ISP) provide internet connections in Sylhet, Sunamganj, Netrokona and adjacent districts. These ISP companies have around 375 Point of Presence (PoP) in these areas. Flooding has caused severe shortage of electricity in the network installations of these companies, turning 34 of these PoPs’ inactive. The ISP companies are trying their best to keep internet connections stable in these flooded areas.

Two workers suffered burn injuries in an explosion at an under-construction coal-fired thermal power plant at Gandamara in Banshkhali upazila on Saturday. The victims are Shahadat Hossain, 22, and Imam Uddin, 31. Read: Massive fire at Ctg container depot: Death toll climbs to 49, over 200 injured The explosion occurred from an unknown source at S Alam Power Plant on Saturday afternoon, leaving two workers injured, said Md Jahangir, additional superintendent of Chattogram district police. Later, the victims were taken to Chittagong Medical College and Hospital. However, it is still not clear what caused the explosion, added the officer. Arman Chowdhury, a resident doctor of Banshkhali Upazila Health Complex, said among them Imam's leg was broken and one of Shahadat's hands is almost severed and his condition is critical.

Though the flood waters have started receding in different parts of the country the people of Sylhet's Beanibazar upazila are suffering from severe food crisis. The prices of daily commodities, especially dry foods used for relief have shot up multiple-fold in a week. During a recent visit to different shops in the area, the UNB correspondent found that before the floods flattened rice (chira) sold at Tk 80 per kg is now being sold at Tk 100. A week ago, the price of this flattened rice was Tk 55 to 60 per kg. The price of puffed rice (muri) has doubled in the area within a week. Last Friday, the puffed rice sold at Tk 53-to 55 per kg is now being sold at Tk 110. Read: Flood situation in 6 Sylhet upazilas takes a turn for the worse The price of rice and lentils have also increased. Onions were being sold at Tk 40 per kg and potatoes at Tk 20 per kg. Even a week ago, onions were sold at Tk 35 per kg and potatoes at Tk 20 per kg. Price of eggs, one of the main protein items, significantly increased in this flood-hit area over the past few days, landing the consumers in more trouble. The price of a hali (four pieces) of eggs rose to Tk 45-48 at retail markets from Tk 38-42 earlier. As there is an acute shortage of dry wood due to floods in the area, the price of charcoal has increased significantly. Earlier, it was sold at Tk 400 to 500 per maund and is now being sold at Tk 950 per maund.(1 maund=38kg) Shamim Ahmed, a grocer in Uttar Bazar in Beanibazar municipality, said that some unscrupulous traders are taking advantage by increasing the price of dried food. Shaheen Alam Hridoy, joint secretary of Beanibazar Press Club, said the way in which the prices of products used as relief for flood victims are increasing day by day is inhumane. The administration should monitor the market and bring such rogue traders under the law. Beanibazar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Ashiq Noor said it was not possible to monitor the market due to the floods. However, action will be taken soon, he added.

At least four people including two students were killed and seven others were injured in separate road accidents in Thakurgaon, Narail, Magura, Chattogram and Khulna districts on Saturday. In Thakurgaon, a 13-year old schoolgirl was killed and two others were hurt in a motorcycle accident at Goalkari on Baliadangi-Lahiri road in Baliadangi upazila. The deceased was identified as Munni Akter, a sixth grader of Baliadangi Government Girl’s High School and dauther of Sadekul Islam, said Khayrul Anam, Officer-in-Charge of Baliadangi police station. The accident occurred in the morning when the Baliadangi-bound motorcycle hit Munni from behind when she was passing the area, leaving her dead and the two riders injured. The injured were admitted to Thakurgaon Modern Sadar Hospital. Also read: Van driver killed in Kushtia road accident In, Narail , a sand-laden trolley truck ran over a 17-year old student on his way to madrasah on Khararia-Nawapara road in Kalia upazila, said Sheikh Tasmim Alam, OC of Kalia police station. The deceased was identified as Asif Mina, a student of class eight  of Khararia Rahima Habib Dakhil Madrasah and son of Hiru Mina. OC Tasmim Alam said the vehicle has been seized and legal action will be taken in this regard. Meanwhile, in Magura an unidentified youth was killed being hit by a trolley truck in front of Jashpur schoolin Mohammadpur upazila, said Ikram Hossain, OC of Mohammadpur police station. A case was filed in this regard and the body was sent for an autopsy, he said. Also read: Road accidents claim 7 lives in 3 districts In Chattogram, a motorcyclist died being hit by a truck on Mariner’s Road in Fishery Ghat area in the city at noon. The deceased was identified as Tripti Dhar,34, son Chandra Sutradhar from Cumilla. Truck driver named Alamgir was arrested and the vehicle has been seized, said Zahidul Kabir, OC of Kotwali police station. Besides, five people were injured at East Jhiler Danga in Dumuria upazila of Khulna as two trucks collided head on at 11:30 am, said Md Shihab Molla, Sub-Inspector of Dumuria police station. All the injured were truck drivers and their assistants, he said. They were taken to Khulna Medical College and Hospital by locals. Of them driver Babu’s condition is critical, said the SI.

A 45-year-old businessman was shot dead allegedly by some miscreants at Khamarerchar in Belabo upazila of Narsingdi on Saturday. The deceased was identified as Kabir Hossain, son of Abdul Hai of Khamarerchar village. Deceased’s family members said the assailants attacked Kabir, a transport businessman, when he went to a garage for repairing his vehicle in Khamarerchar area at 12pm on Saturday. Also read: Rohingya man shot dead in Cox’s Bazar Later he ran and came on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway where the miscreants stabbed him indiscriminately and shot him, leaving him dead on the spot. On information, police rushed to the spot and recovered the body, said Safayet Hossain, officer-in-charge of Belabo Police Station. Also read: Bangladeshi man shot dead by Indian Khashias; BSF hands over body The body was sent to a hospital morgue for an autopsy, said the OC adding that the motive behind the killing could not be known immediately.

Police have recovered the body of an indigenous man from Rangamati's Rajsthali upazila on Saturday. The deceased was identified as Abhishek Chakma (35). According to local sources, there was a gunfight between two armed activists of Marma National Party (Mog Party) and Chattogram Jana Sanghati Samiti (JSS) at Ogaripara of ​​Gaindya union under Rajsthali upazila on Friday night. Also read: 2 indigenous men drown in Rangamati Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Rajasthan Police Station Zakir Hossain said that the gunfight occurred in a remote hilly area 6 km off the upazila headquarters on Friday night. The body of Abhishek, wearing olive-colored uniform, was recovered Saturday morning. Also read: Diarrhoea outbreak grips Rangamati The body was sent to Rangamati General Hospital for an autopsy, he said.

The government has allocated rice, money and dry food as humanitarian assistance for affected people in flood and other natural disaster in Brahmanbaria, Cumilla, and Kishoreganj districts. The allocation was made by the Disaster Management and Relief Ministryon Friday, according to a press release. From the allotment, Brahmanbaria will get 2,000 packets of dry and other food products, Cumilla  200 MTs rice, Tk 17 lakh, 1,700 dry and other food packets, Kishoreganj  100 MTs rice, Tk 10 lakh and 2,000 packets of dry and other food products. Read: Flood water receding in Sunamganj, clogged wastes pollute municipal area air Earlier, 4,020 MTs rice, Tk 5.36 crore and 95,000 food packets were allocated for the 11 flood-hit districts across the country. The allocated relief (cash) money will be distributed only as humanitarian assistance to the victims of various natural calamities including floods during emergencies, said the release.  

Two people were found dead at two separate places at Rohitpur West Mugarchar and Kolatia Kaskandi village in Keraniganj upazila of Dhaka on Friday. The deceased were identified as Sharif Uddin,44, son of Zamir Khan of Kaskandi village and Lal Mia, 60, son of Abdur Rashid of Gopalpur Baniatari area of Nageshwari upazila in Kurigram district. Police said Sharif was found hanging in his house at Kaskandi around 9am on Friday. He was without a job after recent return from abroad. Also read: Third missing tourist's body found in Mirsharai He might have committed suicide out of frustration, said Abu Salam Miah, officer-in-charge (OC) of Keraniganj Model Police Station. In another incident, police recovered the body of a day laborer from the Dhaleshwari River on Friday morning. Locals spotted the body floating on the river near Mugarchar area around 10am and informed police. Also read: BCL leader’s body recovered from Brahmaputra River On information, police recovered the body, said the OC adding that they are investigating his death.

As Surma river was flowing 13 cm below the danger level in Sunamganj on Friday morning, flood water started receding but smell of rotten clogged wastes made the municipal area air heavy.  The UNB reporter visited the municipal area and saw wastes that remained clogged in flood water at North Arpin Nagar, Shaheb bari Ghat, Moddho bazar, Surma Market, Alfat Square Point, Kalibari, old bus stand, jamai Para, Hazir Para and many other areas. Read: Flood situation improves in Kurigram Residents of the area are struggling to go out to run daily errands even after the water began receding. “The area was stinking so much that I couldn’t step out from the house since morning,” said Ruhul Amin , a resident of the North Arpin nagar area. “The flood water has receded but our sufferings did not end due to this rotten waste,” said Ashim Ray from Natun Para area. Read: Strong current disrupts Paturia-Daulatdia ferry services, 400 vehicles stranded However, Sunamganj municipal mayor Nader Bakht said, ``We have started cleaning the city immediately after the water started retreating.” Sunamganj Civil Surgeon Dr Ahmmed Hossain said,” No one fell ill with water borne diseases yet and 123 medical teams are ready to provide services.”    

Around 400 houses across four villages of Shahjadpur upazila in Sirajganj have been gulped by the Jamuna river in the past one week, officials said on Friday. “Some 400 houses, including 30 of the Ashryan project, have tumbled into the river. Pakurtala Primary School, a mosque and other buildings on the riverbank are now at risk,” said Nasir Uddin, sub-divisional engineer of Sirajganj Water Development Board (WDB). “The receding waters of the Jamuna river are causing erosion,” he said. Also read: Flood situation worsens in parts of Sylhet The WDB engineer said that Shahjadpur, Chauhali, Belkuchi, Kazipur, and Sirajganj Sadar upazila’s low-lying and char areas still remained flooded on Friday. "Many of the important roads also remained under water, disrupting vehicular movement. People are also facing drinking water crisis," he added. Similarly, around 9,106 hectares of Ropa Aman, jute, sesame and other crops have been damaged in the flooded region of the district, according to an officer of district agricultural extension department. Also read: Flood situation improves in Kurigram Shahjadpur upazila nirbahi officer Tariqul Islam said he has already informed the WDB about the extreme erosion and the need for taking adequate steps.