United News of Bangladesh

The two Santal farmers in Rajshahi committed suicide by consuming poison as the sacked Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) deep tubewell operator did not provide irrigation water for their land timely, police said on Friday. The police mentioned this in separate chargesheet of the two cases filed over incitement to suicide by the two farmers. It is mentioned in the case statement that Abhinath Marandi and Robi Marandi committed suicide for not getting irrigation water for their land. Also read: 2 farmers’ suicide in Rajshahi: Krishak League leader held The Investigating Officer (IO) Mahfuzur Rahman, sub-inspector (SI) of Godagari police station, said the chargesheet in the case of Abhinath Marandi's death was submitted to the Godagari Amli court on April 27. A chargesheet of the the case of incitement to suicide of Rabi Marandi was submitted on April 29 after investigation. He said the BMDA operator Shakhawat Hossain was charged in the cases following an investigation. Shakhawat used to harass the indigenous farmers by not providing irrigation water. He used to provide water to the people close to him, said the SI. Meanwhile, Rajshahi district police Court Inspector Abdur Rafique said the court has accepted two chargesheets. On March 24, Rabi, 32, a Santal community member of Nimghatu village in Godagari upazila, and his cousin Abhinath, 30, consumed poison in front of Shakhawat. They took the decision out of anger "as Shakhawat was not giving them a serial number for a long time to get irrigation water supplied to their fields in Iswarpur", according to their family. Also read: Rajshahi Santal farmers died after consuming poison, confirms autopsy Abhinath died around 9pm after reaching home on March 24 while Rabi died two days later at Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital (RMCH). Brigadier General Shamim Yazdani, director of RMCH, confirmed both the brothers died from consumption of poison. Later, the Agriculture Ministry formed a four-member panel to probe the deaths of the two farmers. Police arrested Shakhawat, who is also president of no 5 ward unit Krishak League, in connection with the death of two farmers on April 3.

Two children drowned at separate places in Dinajpur on Friday, police said. Swadhin Islam, 13, son of Sirajul Islam of Aftabganj of Nawabganj upazila drowned while taking bath in a pond at the Shiv Mandir area with other children, said sub-inspector Rezaul Islam, in-charge of the Aftabganj police outpost in Nawabganj. Also read: 1 tourist drowns, another missing in Karnaphuli River The fire service divers later recovered his body and handed it over to his relatives, he said Meanwhile, a 9-year-old girl, Shimla Akhter, daughter of Abdus Salam of Shankarpur in Birol upazila, drowned in a pond at Shankarpur mahalla on Friday afternoon, police said.

A six-year-old child was killed and two others were injured as a wall collapsed on them at Karim Nagar area in Khulna city on Friday, police said. The deceased was identified as Tamim, son of Mithu of the city. The injured are Yeamin, 10, and Rabbi, sons of Masud Rana of the same area. Also read:12-year-old dies as house ceiling collapses in Ctg A dilapidated boundary wall of the West Zone Power Distribution Company (WZPDCL) office collapsed on the three children while they were playing on the road behind the office at Karim Nagar around 11am, said Momtazul Hoque, officer-in-charge (OC) of Sonadanga police station. The children were rescued from under the debris and rushed to Khulna Medical College and Hospital (KMCH) where Rabbi was released after first aid. However, Tamim was later shifted to Gazi Medical College and Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries around 4pm, said the OC. Also read: Worker killed, 20 others hurt as bridge collapses in Rangamati Locals had been repeatedly asking the  WZPDCL authorities to repair the wall, said Yeamin’s father Masud Rana. He also urged the authorities to take immediate steps to repair the wall so that such incidents do not happen in the future.

At least 20 people have been injured in a clash between two groups over mango plucking in Joka village of Magura's Sreepur upazila, police said on Friday. Of the injured, 17 have been admitted to Magura Sadar and Dariapur Hospital. Also read:2 shot in clash between BCL, LDP in Cumilla; LDP Secretary General held What started as a mere altercation between Sezan,14, son of Shahid Molla, and Akher Sheikh, 35, over the teen plucking a mango from a tree on public land soon turned into a violent clash between two groups. Injured Sezan and his uncle Hashem Molla told UNB that Akher and his associates vandalised their houses and attacked 10 of their family members with sharp weapons. Of the injured, Shaheb Molla, 37, Chanchal Molla, 30, Mofiz Molla, 29, Arif Molla, 33, Shahid Molla, 25, Shohag, 45, Ariful Molla, 25, and Mala Begum have been admitted to Magura Sadar Hospital. Akher Sheikh, on the other hand, alleged that the other group members attacked them and ten of his men sustained injuries in the clash. Also read: Man killed in clash over delivering sermon after Jumma: 3 arrested Pritam Sarkar, officer-in-charge of Sreepur police station, said "We have not yet received any complaint in this regard. Will take action after a complaint is lodged."

One person was killed while four others were injured in a head-on collision between a passenger bus and a pickup van in Panchbibi upazila of Joypurhat on Friday. The deceased was identified as Sharif Rahman, the driver of the pickup van.  Police said the accident occurred when the bus crashed into the van coming from the opposite direction on Joypurhat-Hilli Road at Bagjana point around 9.30am. Also Read: 2 REB staffers killed in Jamalpur train accident The impact of the collision left five people, including the van driver, injured. They were rushed to a nearby hospital, where Sharif succumbed to his injuries. Palash Chandra Deb, officer-in-charge of Panchbibi police station, said the death toll could rise as the condition of some of the injured is critical.

A 32-year-old businessman returning home with his wife on his bike died after being shot by two men near Kapalia Bridge of Khulna on Thursday night, police said. The deceased was identified as Khandaker Rafiqul Islam, son of Mahabub Mistri of Alka village under Phultala upazila. He was also the sports affairs secretary of Phultala Bazar Banik Kalyan Society.  Police said the two assailants shot Rafiqul around 8pm while he and his wife Barsha alias Piari Begum were returning home from Abhaynagar.  Also Read: Indigenous man shot dead in Rangamati "He was rushed to Phultala upazila health complex where doctors declared him dead on arrival. Barsha also sustained bullet injuries in the attack," a police officer said. Barsha has been shifted to Khulna Medical College Hospital for better treatment, he said. Phultala Bazar Banik Kalyan Society has demanded exemplary punishment for the killers. Illias Talukder, officer-in-charge of Phultala police station, said that the body was sent to Khulna Medical College Hospital morgue for an autopsy.    

Four people, including two police officers, were stabbed allegedly by drug peddlers in Lalmonirhat's Kaliganj upazila on Thursday night. The injured have been identified as assistant sub-inspectors Shahjahani Ali and Momtaz Uddin of Kaliganj police station, and two local residents -- Mojmul Islam, 32, and Abdul Khalek. Golam Rasul, officer-in-charge of Kaliganj police station, said a police team stopped a private car during a routine checking drive on Kakina-Mahipur bypass road near Sirajul Market around 9.30pm. Also read: Housewife stabbed dead in Ctg "As they tried to carry out a search, its driver and his assistant stabbed them. The two locals also sustained stab wounds when they tried to intervene," said OC Golam. “The attackers, however, managed to flee. We later found 180 bottles of phensedyl and a knife inside the car,” he said. A case has been filed under the Narcotics Control Act, 1990, and the injured are currently being treated at Kaliganj Upazila Health Complex, the OC added. Also read: Man stabbed dead in Chattogram

Three Rohingya refugees who fled Bhasan Char have been detained and sent back, police said Friday. Locals nabbed the three in Mohammadpur union of the district's Subarnachar upazila on Wednesday evening and handed them over to the Char Jabbar police. Also Read: Ukhia camp: 6 Rohingyas burnt in gas cylinder fire The three Rohingyas have been identified as Khairul Amin, 21, son of Syedul Amin, Abdullah, 12, son of Md. Rafique, and Saiful Islam, 18, son of Abdul Khaleque. Ziaul Haque, officer-in-charge of Char Jabbar police station, said the detainees were handed over to Bhasan Char police on Thursday itself.     

Police have arrested a man for allegedly raping his 13-year-old stepdaughter in Kamalnagar upazila of Lakshmipur. Locals told UNB that the accused had been living at his parents-in-law's house since his marriage with the rape survivor’s mother three years ago. Also read: College student accuses former lover of rape with promise of marriage in Kurigram On Wednesday, when the girl’s mother went to her sister's house, the accused raped the girl after spiking her juice with sleeping pills. The girl narrated her ordeal to her aunt the next morning, following which the police were informed and a complaint was lodged. Also read: 3 arrested in Ctg over gang rape of girl who escaped from Cumilla "A case of rape has been filed and the accused has been arrested. The girl has been sent for a medical test," Mohammad Solaiman, officer-in-charge of Kamalnagar police station, said.

Farmers of Jashore have become worried about the shortage of labour during this Boro paddy harvesting season. According to the district department of agricultural extension, a total of one lakh 85 thousand 505 hectares of Boro lands have been cultivated this year. Paddy production is also satisfactory in the district. But the labour shortage has become a cause of concern for growers.  Jashore farmers have so far harvested only 30 per cent of the Boro paddy.  Every year an acute labour crisis hits the farmers across the country during the Boro paddy harvesting period. Farmers  eagerly wait for the labourers to come from the northern districts including Rangpur and Dinajpur. But, due to financial solvency and alternative employment opportunities, the number of labourers is decreasing during Boro harvesting time. As a result, the demand for local labourers has increased in every district of the country. Jashore is no exception to it. Farmers said local labourers are demanding extra wages for paddy harvest. Some of them are taking advance payment and working half  the day taking advantage of the labour crisis. Labourers are being benefited from that. On the other hand, farmers are counting extra money for paddy harvest which will add to the additional cost of the total rice production.   Expert labour of Jashore is charging Tk 1,000 for half-day work and working at two fields of two separate farmers. His daily net income rises to Tk 2,000. Nevertheless, farmers are not getting enough labour in time to cut their ripe paddy. Also Read: Sunamganj farmers apprehend missing Boro harvest Abdul Khaleque, farmer of Hanua village under Monirampur upazila, said he has cultivated two bighas of land. But due to labour shortage, he could not harvest his paddy yet.  “I have booked some labours today with advance payment. They will cut my Boro paddy at their convenient time. This is not fair. But, I am bound to keep their conditions to save my paddy from further loss.” Echoing him, farmer Sohanur Rahman of Sirajsingha village of the same upazila said, the rate of day labour was Tk 800 before Eid. Now he cannot get the schedule of the labours even offering Tk 1,000. This week's cyclone ‘Ashani’ increased their workload as farmers feared that a hit can destroy their crops within a few minutes. Farmers made frantic efforts to harvest the Boro paddy before rainfall caused by the ‘Ashani’.  All farmers want to cut their paddy at a time which puts pressure on the labour market. Labourers are also taking advantage of the crisis.    Meanwhile, some volunteer organisations of the district have been harvesting the Boro paddy of the poor farmers free of cost.    Around 50-60 volunteers led by Haibatpur union parishad member Abdur Rahim, have harvested 10 bighas Boro paddy which came to the attention of the area.  Youths of the Uttar Lalidah are also harvesting the Boro paddy of the poor villagers.  Sheikh Sajjad Hossain, agriculture officer of Jashore sadar upazila said, “Farmers of the district have already harvested 30 per cent Boro crop. I hope they can cut the entire paddy within the next 10 days.” Confirming the acute labour crisis, Sajjad said only the use of the latest technology-based harvester can resolve the problem. The government is providing subsidized harvesters to the farmers, he added.