United News of Bangladesh

At least 30 people were injured in a clash between two groups over previous enmity at Nalbata village in Raipura upazila of Narsingdi early Monday, said police. The clash broke around 6:30am between the supporters of former Amirganj union parishad member Alauddin and the supporters of former member Gulzar following enmity over establishing dominance in the village, said Gobinda Sarkar, officer-in-charge (OC) (Investigation) of Raipura police station. Also read: 20 injured as locals clash with police in N'ganj The two rival groups opened fire on each other during the clash, he said. The injured are undergoing treatment at different hospitals including Narsingdi Sadar Hospital, Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), Brahmanbaria’s Nabinagar Health Complex and Bancharampur Health Complex. Also read: Bhola Clash: 20 including 7 cops injured These two groups locked into clashes several times in the last six months, said locals. Police brought the situation under control around 8:30am, said the OC. Additional police were deployed in the area to prevent any untoward situation, he added.

Two Rohingya people were killed in a collision between a covered van and a human hauler on Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf highway in Cox’s Bazar Monday morning, said police. The deceased were identified as Amir Hamza, 50, and Ismat Ara Begum, 10, of Unchiprang Rohingya camp-22. Read: RSF releases monthly accident statistics The human hauler collided with the covered van near Huaikyong Techhi bridge area around 8 am , leaving two passengers of the human hauler dead on the spot and two others injured, said police inspector Md Jahangir Alam, in-charge of Huaikyong Highway police outpost. The injured were sent to Cox's Bazar Sadar Hospital, he added. The bodies were kept at the hospital morgue for autopsy.

Ferry services on the Paturia-Daulatdia route has been severely hampered due to strong current in the Padma since Sunday morning. Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) Aricha Sector Manager Mohiuddin Russell said it takes more time for the ferries to reach their destinations due to strong current with the rise of water in the Padma. Also read:Ferry services resume on Shimulia-Majhirkandi route after 7 hours As a result, more than 400 vehicles have been stuck in the terminal area, he added. Hundreds of buses, private cars and microbuses and 300 trucks were stranded at Paturia terminal to cross the river. Three to four kilometers long tailback of trucks were created on the highway at Sari Ghat area. Also read: Two ferries collide in Padma; 1 killed Meanwhile, the pontoons of the ferry have been shifted from low to medium level. And if the water level increases by only two centimeters, the pontoons will have to be taken to the upper level, said the BIWTC official. At present, 17 out of 19 ferries are on service on  Paturia-Daulatdia route.

Ferry services on Shimulia-Majhirkandi route resumed Monday morning after seven hours of suspension due to strong current in the Padma River. The ferry service resumed after 5 am with operation of five ferries, said Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) officials. BIWTC announced the suspension of the ferry services around 10:15 pm on Sunday to avert possible accidents. Also read:Two ferries collide in Padma; 1 killed Vehicles and passengers stranded at night are now crossing the river through ferries Kunjalta, Begum Rokeya, Begum Sufia Kamal, Cumilla, Faridpur. Meanwhile, a man was killed and another went missing as two ferries collided head-on in the Padma River near Jajira in Shariatpur district on the Shimulia-Majhirkandi route in the early hours on Sunday. Ten people on both the ferries- Begum Rokeya and Begum Sufia Kamal -sustained injuries. The BIWTC formed a four-member probe committee in this regard. Besides, the junior masters of the two ferries have been suspended.

A minor boy was killed in a landslide triggered by incessant rain in Moheshkhali upazila of the district on Tuesday morning. The deceased was identified as Robiul Hossain, 5, son of Gora Puchhun of Kalarmarsora in the upazila. Read: Re-excavated canals: LGRD Minister predicts less waterlogging in Dhaka Quoting locals, Abdul Hai, officer-in-charge of Moheskhali Police Station, said a chunk of mud fell on the child while playing in the rain on Sunday afternoon. After searching in different places, the locals recovered the body of the child by removing the mud around 9 pm, he added.  

Health Minister Zahid Malek said on Sunday that 4,000 medical teams of the Health Services Division are ready to provide services in 11 flood-hit districts of the country, especially the worst-hit Sylhet andSunamganj. Leaves for doctors, nurses and health workers at all levels in the Sylhet region have been canceled, said the minister at a hotel in the capital. Despite the unfavorable environment, water purification tablets, saline, medicines and food are being sent to these districts as much as possible. Read: Army puts stranded DU students on a bus headed home At present, 200 teams have been formed in Sylhet region, he added. The health minister said several districts, including Sylhet, have been hit by massive floods. “Especially the situation in Sylhet and Sunamganj are the worst-hit areas. For this, a control room has been set up at the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in Dhaka as well as locally.” Flood situation in Sylhet started turning into a terrible disaster from Thursday afternoon as almost all the upazilas and municipal areas went under water.

A total of 185 families have been evicted from different foothills in Chattogram city on Sunday during a drive against illegal and risky residents amid landslide concern. Five teams led by district executive magistrates with police Ansar and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) members started the drive at 10:30 am from East Firozshah Jhil-1 area under Akbar Shah police station During the drive, 300 residential settlements were marked as risky.

Chief of Army Staff General S M Shafiuddin Ahmed on Sunday asked the members of the Bangladesh army to work sincerely for the flood-affected people. The Army Chief gave the instruction while visiting various flood affected areas of Sylhet district on Sunday. During the visit, the Chief of Army Staff distributed relief items among the flood victims at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Hi-Tech Park of Companyganj upazila and its nearby flood-hit areas and spoke to the flood-affected people, says a media release of Inter Service Public Relation (ISPR) directorate here on Sunday evening. During the time, the Chief of Army Staff asked the Army members to continue their rescue efforts relentlessly as well as to conduct emergency relief operations and provide medical assistance. He also gave instruction to the army members for providing all possible assistance in dealing with the flood situation through all-out self-sacrifice. Calling upon all to come forward to deal with the emerging situation, the Chief of Army Staff said, "If we all work together, we will be able to deal with this disaster." Therefore, the members of the army have to work most sincerely with the attitude of abandonment altogether, he said. The army chief also assured to provide all kinds of assistance activities in the aftermath of the floods. Read: Flood: Waters start receding in hard hit north-east districts Among others, Master General of Ordnance Md. Abu Sayed Siddique, GOC of 17th Infantry Division Major General Hamidul Haque, senior military officers of Army Headquarters, Superintendent of Police of Sylhet District and media personnel were present. The 17th Infantry Division of the Sylhet Region of the Bangladesh Army has been performing their duties since June 17 in Sylhet Sadar, Kompaniganj, Kanaighat, Joyintapur and Gowainghat Upazilas of Sylhet District and Sunamganj Sadar, Chhatak, Doara Bazar, Dirai and Jamalganj Upazilas of Sunamganj District , and also in Kumargaon Power Station. Various river transports of other formations of the Army have been deployed in the Sylhet area to assist in the rescue operation. In addition, members of the Commando Battalion have participated in the rescue operation. At the same time, a navy team has been taking part in the rescue operation with the army in Sylhet area. In view of the deteriorating flood situation in Netrokona, some 125 Army members of the 19th Infantry Division from Ghatail area have been deployed since June 18 in Khaliajuri Upazila of Netrakona to control the flood situation, rescue operations, distribute relief and provide medical assistance. At the behest of the Chief of Army Staff, the other formations of the Bangladesh Army are closely monitoring the flood situation in their respective jurisdiction areas of responsibility and they are ready to assist the civilian administration. The Army Chief has instructed the Bangladesh Army, a symbol of the nation's confidence, to continue these humanitarian activities until the flood situation returns to normal, the ISPR media release added.  

The flood situation in the country continued to worsen Sunday as the water started flowing downstream to the central regions from the north-east districts with risk of landslides in hilly areas. While Sylhet, Sunamganj districts remained worst-hit in flooding from heavy rainfall and onrush of upstream waters, disrupted lives of millions in Moulvibazar, Netrakona, Sherpur, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Kishoreganj districts. Water level in different upazilas and Sylhet city area started receding on Sunday. “We could not count the rainfall from 6 am to 4 pm on Sunday as it was too little to be counted. From Monday the sky will become less cloudy, decreasing the rainfall. It will also improve the flood situation,” said Sayeed Chowdhury, senior metrologist from Sylhet Met office. Meanwhile rail communication with Sylhet was restored after 24 hours on Sunday at 12:55 pm after the train started operating on Dhaka-Sylhet route, said Nurul Islam, Sylhet Railway Station Manager. Power supply to Sylhet was disrupted on Saturday after flood water entered the Kumargaon grid power substation and the authorities were forced to shut it down, suspending power supply to the two districts. Later in the afternoon, the electricity supply was restored partially in some parts of Sylhet city, which falls within the district Power supply was restored in several areas of the city including Zindabazar, Chauhatta, Amberkhana, Bandarbazar, Nayasarak, Nayor Pool, Shahi Eidgah, Tilagarh, Baluchar and Mirer Maidan from Saturday 8 pm . Up to one lakh people have so far been evacuated from the flood-hit Sylhet and Sunamganj districts, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md Enamur Rahman said on Sunday. Nearly 40 lakh people have been marooned in the two districts in one of the worst floods in the region in memory. The rain-fed deluge inundated 60 percent areas in Sylhet district and 90 percent areas in Sunamganj district, the state minister told reporters at the Secretariat. Already 75,000 people have taken shelter in different centers in Sunamganj and 30,000 people in Sylhet did the same. The flood situation slightly improved in Sylhet while it remained static in Sunamganj district. Besides, the flood situation worsened in Habiganj and Moulvibazar districts. The flood situation in north-eastern areas may improve but it will turn worse in the adjacent northern parts of the country due to rise in water levels of Brahmaputra and Teesta, he said. The electricity supply to Sunamganj district and its adjacent areas had to be disconnected to avoid accidents as Chhatak and Sunamganj grid substations went under flood water. Meanwhile, more than one lakh people of Chhatak upazila remained under flood waters till Saturday afternoon. People of the upazila have not received any kind of assistance including relief from the administration

The Chandpur town protection embankment has become vulnerable due to onrush of water from upstream. Some vulnerable spots in the embankment have already been spotted by Water Development Board (WDB) officials. They are dumping cement blocks and sand-filled geo bags to prevent the cracks in the embankment. The vulnerable spots in the embankment are- Puranbazar and Notunbazar points, Tilabari in Jamuna Road (cracks developed twice within just two or three months), Pilot House, Dolmandir area, Harishava, Ronagoyal, South Sriramdi and adjacent areas. Read: Modern launch terminal to be constructed in Chandpur Executive Engineer of WDB Chandpur office Rifat Jamil told UNB that he visited the Dolmandir spot. “A total of 13,000 geo bags and 10,000 cement blocks have been dumped in a five-kilometer area. Another 13,000 geo bags and 13,000 cement blocks have been kept available beside the embankment to use during any emergency,” said the official.    “Chandpur district town is situated on the confluence of three rivers- the Meghna, the Padma and the Dakatiya. As a result, the town always remains under threat of river erosion during monsoon,” he said.