United News of Bangladesh

Floods triggered by onrush of upstream water and heavy rains have inundated low-lying areas in different upazilas of Kurigram district, leaving more than 2000 people marooned. Teesta River was flowing 20cm above danger level at Kaunia point of Kurigram on Thursday. As many as 2000 people in Gharial Danga and Vidyananda Unions of Rajarhat upazila in the district have been marooned as a result. Read: Red alert issued as Teesta flows 60 cm above danger level Besides, floodwater damaged Aman paddy and vegetables in the district. Putul Rani, a resident of Namavrat village said,” Despite having supplies in stock, I can’t cook anything as there is waist high water everywhere in my house.” “This is a terrible way to live,” she said. Read: Teesta flowing above danger level, all 44 barrage gates opened Hanif Ali of the same village said over the phone,” My entire home has been submerged.” “My family members have barely eaten since yesterday.  We need immediate help.” Rajarhat Upazila Nirbahi Officer Noor Tasnim said 10 metric tons of food assistance was provided to the flood affected people Thursday morning and more will follow.

A court here on Thursday sentenced a man to death for killing his wife coming live on social media platform Facebook last year. Feni District and Sessions Judge Dr. Begum Jebunnesa handed down the verdict. The condemned convict is Obaidul Haque Tutul. Also read: Woman sentenced to life imprisonment for husband’s murder in Feni Defense lawyer Abdus Sattar said a petition will be filed with the High Court challenging the order. On April 16, 2020,  victim Tahmina Akter’s  father filed a case with  Feni model police station against Tutul. Later on the same day Senior Judicial Magistrate Dhrubo Jyoti Paul recorded Tutul’s confessional statement. On November 16, SI Emran, second investigation officer of the case, submitted a  chargessheet in the case. Also read: Absconding rapist sentenced to life imprisonment in Rangpur On  January 13, this year, trial in the case began with recording testimony of the victim’s father. On April 15, Tutul hacked his wife Tahmina to death and streamed the incident live on Facebook at his home at Uttar Barahipur union in Feni. Later Tutul himself called 999 and informed police about his wife’s death. Police arrested Tutul from the spot and seized a sharp weapon  and his cell phone set.

An 18-year-old college student was hacked to death allegedly by another student at South Surma College in South Surma upazila in Sylhet on Thursday noon. The deceased was identified as Md Ariful islam Rahat, son of Surman Ali of Old Tetli area of South Surma upazila. He was a class XII student of  the college. Also read: 5 to die for killing college student in Rajshahi Witnesses said Rahat went to his college to meet his friends. When he was getting out of the college gate around 12:30 pm Sadi, another student of the college, appeared there riding a motorbike and stabbed him indiscriminately from behind , leaving him injured, said victim’s cousin Rafi. Also read: Medical student dies in quicksand of Jamuna River Later, Rahat was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him dead. Kamrul Hasan Talkudar, Officer-in-Charge of South Surma Police Station, said police are investigating the incident. No one has been arrested yet,  the OC added.

Two youths of a family were killed and three others injured in a clash over a boundary wall dispute in the Monsuria Bazar area of Banshkhali on Wednesday. The deceased were identified as Md Abdul Khalek, 30, and Tipu Sultan Mahmud, 26, of the upazila. The injured have been identified as  Manjur Alam, 40, Bahadur, 32, and Kamal Hossain, 50. Read: Slum in Chattogram city catches fire According to locals, the clash broke out between the two groups in the Monsuria Bazar on Wednesday noon.  Abdul dead on the spot while four others were injured. Tipu succumbed to his injuries on the way to Chattogram Medical College, where others are being treated. Kamal Uddin, officer-in-charge of the Banshkhali police station, said they had detained two persons for questioning. Read:‘Robber’ killed in ‘gunfight’ in Chattogram Meanwhile, Russell Iqbal, joint secretary of the South District BCL, allegedly consumed poison in the room of the duty officer at the police station for detaining his father in the case  He has been hospitalised. No FIR has been filed in this regard so far, said the OC.

Road communication between Lalmonirhat and Rangpur remained suspended Thursday due to the collapse of Kakina-Rangpur Road in Kaliganj upazila collapsed in flash floods. Local people said the water of the Teesta entered into Rudreshor village as the river was flowing 60 cm above the danger level at Dalia point on Wednesday. Read: Red alert issued as Teesta flows 60 cm above danger level Due to the excessive pressure of the river water, Kakina-Rangpur Road caved in, disrupting road communication between Rangpur and Lalmonirhat districts. The Bangladesh Army has been pressed into action to evacuate stranded people from the affected areas, officials said. Shahidul Haque Shaheed, chairman of Kakina Union Parishad, said 3,000 people have been stranded due to the flash floods and the main road connecting the two districts has caved in. Rashedin Islam, executive engineer of the Water Development Board, said the Teesta river is flowing 70 cm above its danger level from Wednesday night. Read: Teesta flowing above danger level, all 44 barrage gates opened The Water Development Board (WDB) has issued a red alert in the Teesta Basin after the river swelled above the danger level due to the onrush of hill water and heavy rainfall upstream in India. Authorities in Bangladesh ordered evacuation of the people living in villages along the river’s banks.

A journalist was arrested in Kushtia on Tuesday under the stringent Digital Security Act (DSA) for allegedly sharing a "defamatory" social media post against the Prime Minister. Farhad Asif Tipu, 50, son of late Amir Uddin of Batikamara village of Kumarkhali upazila, is the Kushtia correspondent for Daily Jay Jay Din. Read:Rangpur: 1 arrested in Joypurhat under DSA, 42 for arson Police said Farhad shared on Facebook a defamatory post with a distorted image of the Prime Minister from his own page on the social media platform. It was originally posted on Facebook by someone else. The arrest comes on a complaint from Kumarkhali Upazila Juba League organising secretary Farhad Imran. Based on the complaint, an FIR was filed against Farhad under the Digital Security Act at the Kumarkhali police station. Read: DSA: Order on Jhumon Das’s bail plea Thursday Kamruzzaman Talukder, officer-in-charge of the Kumarkhali police station, said they had arrested the journo based on the complaint.

A two-year-old died while his mother and sister sustained burn injuries in a fire that broke out in their house in Srinagar on Monday night. The deceased was identified as Ayas Mridha. His mother, Khadiza Akhter Mim (22), and sister Ayesha Akhter (4) sustained severe burn injuries in the fire. Read:Court indicts ex-Rajuk chairman, three others over FR Tower fire The injured are undergoing treatment at Sheikh Hasina Burn Unit of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital in the capital. Police suspect the fire broke out from a mosquito coil. "Bappi Mridha, the father of the victim, had stepped out at the time," sub-inspector Ziaul Islam said. Fire officials said they were alerted by local residents.  Read: Fire destroys 30 shops in Sitakunda kitchen market "A fire tender soon reached the spot. Though we could rescue the mother and the daughter alive, the boy was charred to death," Md Mahfuz Ribben of Srinagar fire service, told UNB. A probe has been ordered to ascertain the exact cause of the fire, the official added.

Police arrested  a man on Monday on charge of  harassing and thrashing wo sisters at Savar ferry ghat. The accused was identified as Md Selim, a local muscleman accused in several other cases including a Narcotic case in 2017, said Kazi Mainul Islam officer-in-charge of Savar Model police station. Earlier, on Sunday mother of the two girls filed a complaint against two people, mentioning Selim as the main accused at the Savar Model police station. According to the complaint, on Saturday night the victims were returning  home at Kaundia upazila in Savavr from Mirpur. As they reached the Kaundia ferry ghat around 9:30 pm Selim waylaid them and sexually abusing the elder sister. As they protested Selim verbally abused them and started beating both of them with an umbrella with the help of his nephew Ripon. As people started gathering, hearing cries of the victims, Selim and Ripon ran away leaving them severely injured. READ: 3 die in two road accidents in Savar Locals later took them to Savar Upazila health complex. The elder sister said, “ Selim hugged me with ill intentions and as we protested he thrashed us.” After filing axcsse Kaundia police outpost in-charge Harunur Rashid conducted a drive at the Kaundia bazar area and arrested Selim. READ: Uncle rapes sixth grader in Savar The accused has been produced before court, said the OC.

Thieves stole valuables from the house of the UNB Bagerhat district correspondent at Shaltala in Bagerhat district town early Monday. The thieves entered the house of Bishnu Proshad Chakrabortty between 5:30 am and 6:30 am and stolen the mobile phone, four ATM cards, driving licence and wallet of the correspondent, said KM Azizul Islam, officer-in-charge of Bagerhat Model Police Station. On information, police and Rab visited the spot and they are investigating the theft, he said.

The Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi Monday celebrated the 58th birth anniversary of Sheikh Russel, the youngest son of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, through various programmes. A hundred saplings were planted in the embassy premises. Embassy officials led by Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Muhammad Imran joined the programme. READ: Bangladesh's Delhi mission plants 100 saplings on Sheikh Russel's birthday Also, High Commissioner Imran, along with the members of the mission, placed a wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu and Sheikh Russel in the chancery building.