United News of Bangladesh

Police on Sunday arrested two people in connection with the gang rape of a mother and daughter in Polashikura village of Sherpur’s Nalitabari upazila. The arrestees are UP election member candidate Abdus Sattar, 42, cattle trader and son of Abdul Basheed Ali of Palashikura village and Sadek Ali, 30, son of Abdus Sobhan of the same village. Nalitabari Police officer-in-charge (OC) Bachir Ahmed Badal said that they were gang raped on Saturday night by seven men. After being informed by 999 message police ran an operation and arrested the two. Read: Viral: Woman tortured for failing to pay interest on loan The victims have been sent to Sherpur general hospital for medical check-up, he said. It was learned that the victim woman went to visit her father’s home with her 16-year-old daughter in the village. Some of the locals including Sattar and Sadek took them for sightseeing on a three wheeler on Saturday morning. After the sightseeing at night they took the mother-daughter to an under-construction sight and gang raped there. Read: Photos of teacher with student’s baby on lap at classroom go viral, sparks online debate According to the family members, the mother-daughter managed to get home in the morning and informed them of the incident. They then called 999 for support. The victim woman later filed a case against seven people in this connection, said the OC.

With the fragrance of Shiuli ( the flowering night jasmine) in the air, autumn has spread the word - goddess Durga is coming among the mortals once again, sparking the celebrations unique to the biggest Hindu festival - Sharadiya Durga Puja. But in Bagerhat this year, the puja will be a bit bland without the famous Shikdar Bari’r Puja celebration, that is always a grand affair full of hundreds of idols gathered on a single stage. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the elaborate puja celebrations organised by the Shikdar family have been suspended for a consecutive second year. Instead a 'Ghot Puja' (worshipping an urn symbolising the goddess) will be held to maintain the religious traditions and formalities. Tarun Dash said, “This news broke the hearts of local worshippers like me, as for a year we were waiting in hope for the spectacular Shikdar Bari’s puja.” “The scene on the mandap used to be so surreal. It almost felt like all the deities had really landed among human beings,” said Nikhil Chandra, another local. The legend of Shikdar Bari’s Durga Puja In 2011, Dr Dulal Krishna Shikdar in his ancestral home at Hakimpur village in Bagerhat Sadar upazila started a grand celebration of Durga puja garnishing 251 idols. His motive for the grand puja was to make society aware of the significance of worshipping deities according to sanatana dharma (traditional religion, or Hinduism). Read: Security beefed up for Durga puja celebration: DMP Commissioner

The Ukhia Forest Department has rescued 117 white herons from hunting traps in Maskaria area of the upazila. Ukhia range officer Gazi Shafiul Alam said that the forest department on information ran operation from Saturday morning to evening and rescued the herons. He said that 103 herons have already been freed; the remaining 14 injured are being treated before those can be freed. “Birds are the lifeblood of nature. White herons play a role in cultivation. There are some bird hunters in the coastal areas including Ukhia of Cox's Bazar who hunt these herons.” The hunters will be identified and brought to book, he added.

Five Rohingyas were arrested Sunday with arms and drugs during a joint operation by the Armed Police Battalion (APBN) and Ukhia Police in Cox's Bazar’s Ukhia  Rohingya camp. The arrestees were listed criminal Nur Kalam, under-warranted accused Fayez and Md Abul Kalam; Osman and Akter Hossain. Read: 6 Rohingyas held from refugee camps Md Naimul Haque, 14-APBN captain said APBN and Ukhia police conducted a joint operation around 3:30 pm on Sunday. During the operation, five Rohingyas were arrested and a locally made shooter-gun, one round of ammunition and 122 pieces of yaba were seized from them. Read: 11 Rohingyas held in Panchagarh According to APBn sources, the arrestees were involved in various crimes including intimidation, extortion and kidnapping of ordinary Rohingyas in the camp area.

Police have arrested a woman in Joypurhat’s Khetlal Upazila for allegedly tying up a child to a tree and torturing her in public. The arrestee was identified as Beli Begum, a local tea stall owner. On Sunday Beli was produced before the court, confirmed Joypurhat additional superintendent of police Tariqul Islam. According to locals, the incident occurred on Saturday around 5 pm at Dhantala-Chaumuhoni Bazar of the upazila. Read: Viral: Woman tortured for failing to pay interest on loan When tea stall owner Beli found Tk 200 missing from the cash counter she suspected the nine-year-old school girl. She grabbed the child when she was playing with her children. Beli slapped and beat the girl and later tied her to a tree. After a video of the torture went viral on social media police went to the spot, rescued the child and held the torturer Beli Begum. Read: Photos of teacher with student’s baby on lap at classroom go viral, sparks online debate Khetlal police on Saturday night filed a case against Beli and another woman Rahima Begum in this regard. However, police have not yet been able to arrest Rahima Begum.

A private car driver was killed by miscreants throttling his throat in Daudkandi area of Cumilla. The deceased was identified as Faizul Islam Sardar (40), son of Aktar Sardar hailing from Uzirpur thana of Barishal. Police confirmed the matter on Sunday afternoon. Locals informed the police after spotting an unidentified body of a man on a culvert (local bridge) on Sunday morning, according to police and family sources. Read: Man killed by nephew in Pirojpur Sub-inspector (SI) of Daudkandi Model Thana, Ziaur Rahman recovered the body. A family member of the victim identified the body. Faizul drove his car on rent. He was taking passengers from Dhaka’s Gulshan to Chattogram, sources said. Miscreants snatched the car after murdering Faizul, predicted SI Mohammad Ziaur Rahman. Besides, many injury marks were spotted on his body, he added. A case has been filed with Daudkandi Model Thana in this regard and they are trying to recover the car and find the criminals, Ziaur Rahman said.

Md Elias, one of accused in Rohingya leader Mohib Ullah’s murder case, has made confessional statement before a Cox’s Bazar court. The accused was produced before Cox’s Bazar Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court on Saturday after completing a three-day remand, said Cox’s Bazar court police sources. Read: Mohib Ullah murder: 3 more accused remanded Chief Judicial Magistrate court Judge Md Helal Uddin recorded his confessional statement under section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). On October 3, 14-Armed Police Battalion (APBn) arrested Elias from Kutupalong Rohingya Camp-5 during a drive. Unknown assailants gunned down Mohib, head of Arakan Rohingya Society for Peace and Human Rights (ARSPH) on September 29. On September 30, police filed a case over Mohib Ullah’s murder following a complaint from Mohib Ullah’s brother Habib Ullah. Read: Want killing nowhere: Momen about Mohib Ullah murder On October 1, another suspect Mohammad Selim,33, was arrested from a Kutupalong camp and was later handed over to Ukhiya police station by APBn members. In the early hour of October 2, suspect Abdus Salam,32, and Jiaur Rahman,32 were arrested from another Rohingya camp in Ukhiya.  Later in the evening Ukhiya police arrested Shawkat Ullah,23, another Rohingya suspect from Kutupalong camp. Later, Cox’s Bazar Senior Judicial Magistrate Tamanna Farah placed the five arrestees on 3-day remand each.

Two children were killed and two others  injured as a mini truck hit them on Dhaka-Chittagong highway in Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram early Sunday. The deceased were identified as Mehedi Hasan, 13, son of Md Alamgir of Dakkhin Mehedinagar village of Mirsarai upazila and Md Siam, 10, son of Mintu Mia of Sobhanbag area of Sitakunda Sadar. Read: Journo’s father killed in Dhaka road accident Witnesses said when the Dhaka-bound mini-truck was unloading fish standing on the highway in Sitakunda municipality area around 8:30am a lorry hit the truck from behind, leaving the two children dead on spot and two others including Siam’s father Mintu Mia injured. Later, the injured were rushed to Upazila Health Complex. Amir Faruque, officer-in-charge of Kumira highway police outpost, said police seized the vehicles but  the drivers managed to escape.

Traffic movement on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway remained suspended since Sunday morning as the workers of two readymade garment factories put barricade on the highway demanding payment of their dues. The workers of Interlink Apparels factory in Maleker Bari  area and another in Bhogra in the city corporation area found the gates of the factories shut in the morning. Read:Oil tanker fire: missing worker’s body found on Karnaphuli river Workers said said the authorities were scheduled to pay the salaries of the previous month today.

The export and import activities through Burimari land port in Patgram upazila of Lalmonirhat district will remain suspended for five days from October 12 (Tuesday)  for Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindus. Assistant commissioner of Burimari Land port customs, Mohamamd Kefayet Ullah Majumdar, said the trade activities between the two neighbouring countries will remain suspended for five days from Tuesday. Read: Trade through Burimari land port to remain suspended for 6 days However, the movement of passport-holder travellers through the check-post will continue as usual, said Anwar Hossain, in-charge of Burimari immigration police.