United News of Bangladesh

The flood situation in six upazilas of Sylhet worsened Wednesday as incessant rainfall and an onrush of water from upstream kept pounding the region for the last few days, leaving its major rivers in spate.   More than 1 lakh people of Zakiganj, Fenchuganj, Beani Bazar, Osmaninagar, Balaganj, and Gopalganj were left stranded due to flooding. However, the water levels remained unchanged in the rivers Surma, Dholai, Piyain, and Luva and the flood situation on their banks improved slightly.  Meanwhile, Bangladesh army, navy, coast guard, police, and Border Guard Bangladesh are working round the clock to rescue the flood-hit people. According to the Bangladesh Water Development Board, flood water entered 40 points of Zakiganj upazila till Wednesday evening. Also Read: Flood death toll climbs to 42: DGHS Around 60 per cent of Fenchuganj and Balaganj went under water. Road communication on Balaganj-Khichripur and Fenchuganj-Balaganj route remained suspended. The flood situation in Beani Bazar, Osmaninagar, Balaganj, and Gopalganj also worsened as new areas of the upazilas went under water as the water level in the River Kushiara kept rising. SM Shahidul Islam, chief engineer of the Bangladesh Water Development Board in Sylhet, said water in the River Surma was flowing at 13.75 centimetres above the danger mark at Kanaighat point Wednesday evening.

Bangladesh Navy members have rescued another pregnant woman from South Kamlabazar area in Jamalganj upazila of Sunamganj on Wednesday. The woman has been identified as Shiuli Akter, wife of Akkel Ali, who works at a local hotel. Also read: Govt working to restore telecommunication in flood-hit areas

The government is working to restore the telecommunication network in the flood-affected areas of the northeast districts of the country. A total of 1,255 sites of Grameenphone, Robi, Banglalink, and Teletalk have been reactivated out of 2,008 damaged sites due to flood water. Works are underway to activate the rest 753 affected sites, said a press release of the Post and Telecommunication Ministry on Wednesday. Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited has been working to set up 42 VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) under its own management and Bangladesh Army through Bangabandhu Satellite to restore telecommunication systems including the internet in the flood-affected districts. Bangladesh Army has already installed six VSAT hubs at Sylhet High-Tech Park, Sunamganj deputy commissioner’s office, Sunamganj circuit house office, Gobindaganj, Duara Bazar, and Dirai. Two more VSAT hub installations will be completed on Wednesday in Jaintapur and Gowainghat upazilas.   Read: Rail communication with Sylhet snapped amid flood Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited has set up VSAT at various places in Sylhet, Sunamganj, and Netrokona.    

Police recovered the body of a 70-year-old man three days after he drowned in floodwater in Astagram upazila of Kishoreganj on Wednesday. The deceased was identified as Dhananjay Das, a resident of the upazila. Also read: One lakh people marooned in Kishoreganj flood Md Morshed Zaman, officer-in-charge (OC)  Astagram police station, said locals spotted the body floating in a canal near Astagram Ikurdia DC Road in the morning and informed police. The body was later handed over to his family after filing a case in this regard, the OC added.

A 19-year-old youth was killed while two others sustained injuries when a speeding train hit a truck at a level crossing in Chattogram in the small hours of Wednesday, said police. The deceased was identified as Morsalin, the helper of a truck driver. Khorshed Alam, in-charge of Sitakunda Railway Police, said the accident occurred around 1.15am when the Dhaka-bound ‘Turna Nishitha Express’ crashed into the sand-laden truck at Baroiarhat level crossing in Mirsarai upazila, leaving its driver and the helper injured. Read: 2 killed, 10 hurt in Rajshahi road crash The injured, including truck driver Shaha Alam, 40, were rushed to a local hospital where Morsalin succumbed to his injuries around 3am. A local resident crossing the railway track was also injured in the accident, he said. "The gateman at the level crossing fell asleep at the time of the accident," said another police officer.

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Two people were killed and 10 others injured when a truck hit a van on the busy Dhaka-Rajshahi highway in Rajshahi, police said. The deceased were identified as Sumnuzzaman, 38, son of Mansur Ali of Nayapara village, and Rasedul Islam, 30, of Charghat upazila. The accident occurred on Tuesday afternoon when the Rajshahi-bound truck hit the van carrying some 12 people, leaving Sumnuzzaman dead on the spot and 11 others injured. Read: UP member hacked to death in Jashore The injured were first taken to Puthia Upazila Health Complex from where they were referred to Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital. Rasedul died on the way to the hospital, said Mofakkarul Islam, in-charge of Poba Highway police outpost.

People in flood-hit Kurigram district are suffering increasingly due to lack of pure drinking water, food and sanitation. Though water levels of almost all rivers have subsided to a large extent, some are still flowing above the danger mark. Still two lakh people in nine upazilas of the district are homeless. While some people have taken refuge in a number of temporary shelter homes, others are in makeshift tents on the roadside. Read: US to provide emergency flood relief for people in northern Bangladesh:Envoy According to the District Relief and Rehabilitation Centre, 1.41 lakh people have been rendered homeless. On the other hand, some 361 shelter homes have been set up in the district. Some 160 people have taken shelter in three temporary homes in Nageshwari upazila, officials said. Besides, 325 educational institutions have been closed due to the worsening flood situation in the district.

A union parishad (UP) member was allegedly hacked to death by assailants in the Balunda Bazar area of Jashore's Sharsha upazila Tuesday night. Ashanuzzaman Bablu, 45, son of Rahazan Ali of Mohishakura village, was a member of ward 7 of Bagamchara UP, said Mamun Kahan, officer-in-charge of Sharsha Police Station. Read: Dentist murder in city: Prime accused held The assailants attacked Bablu when he was sipping tea at a stall in the bazar around 10pm, leaving him dead on the spot, he said. On information, police rushed to the spot and recovered the body. "The body will be sent to the morgue of Jashore General Hospital for an autopsy," the OC said. Efforts are on to identify and nab the killers, OC Mamun added.

A fire that broke out in a textile waste godown in Gazipur early on Wednesday morning has been brought under control, officials said. The blaze started in the godown in the Dewaliabari area of Konabari around 4.45am and was brought under control around 8.15am, said Miraj Islam, an officer at Gazipur DBL Fire Service Station. Read: Bangladesh Bank fire put out "As many as four fire tenders have been pressed into service to douse the flames completely," he said. “Fortunately, no casualties were reported.” A probe has been ordered to ascertain the exact cause of the fire and the extent of damage, the officer said.