United News of Bangladesh

Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Md Shafiqul Islam Khan on Saturday said his administration has maintained a zero-tolerance stance against tender-related irregularities and other illegal activities since he assumed office. His remarks came while handing over two individuals, allegedly involved in fraudulent tender-related activities, to Rupnagar Police Station after they were detained in the Rupnagar area under DNCC's Zone-5. The administrator said evidence emerged that a group had long been engaged in illegal financial transactions by using his name and promising to secure tenders from the city corporation. “Neither my relatives nor any of my associates are involved in such activities,” he said. He urged the public not to be misled by anyone claiming influence over DNCC tenders in his name. “If anyone is found carrying out tender-related irregularities or other illegal activities using my name, they should be caught and handed over to the law,” he said. He also called on city residents to remain vigilant against such fraud. According to DNCC officials, allegations surfaced that a group of fraudsters was involved in illegal transactions by promising work orders through tender notices published on the corporation’s website. Following an investigation into the allegations, police allegedly caught the two suspects red-handed on Saturday and handed them over to Rupnagar Police Station for legal action.

Police recovered the bodies of two women from separate locations in the capital - Dhanmondi and Badda - on Saturday. The deceased were identified as Asma Akhter, 30, and Monika Akhter, 27. Despite sharing their surnames, they are not believed to be related. Their autopsies were conducted at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue on Saturday. Police said Asma Akhter fell from the balcony of Cabin No. 813 on the eighth floor of Bangladesh Medical College Hospital in Dhanmondi at around 3pm on Friday. After receiving information through the national emergency service 999, police recovered her body from the spot. Sub-Inspector (SI) Tuli Mandal of Dhanmondi Police Station said the family of the deceased alleged that Asma's death was not accidental and claimed that her husband pushed her from the balcony. A case has been filed with Dhanmondi Police Station in connection with the incident, and the husband has been arrested, the SI said. "The exact cause of death will be known after receiving the autopsy report," she added. Asma's brother, Mozammel Haque, said she married Md Shafiullah about three years ago following a relationship. He alleged that Asma had been subjected to mental harassment after learning that her husband had a previous wife and children. He said Asma had been admitted to the hospital three days earlier with stomach-related complications and was scheduled to be discharged on Friday. He alleged that an argument broke out between the couple in the hospital cabin shortly before the incident. In a separate incident, Monika Akhter, a housewife, died after falling from a building in the Aftabnagar area under Badda Police Station. Police recovered her body from in front of a building on Road No. 1, Sector No. 2, E-Block of Aftabnagar on Friday afternoon. Fatema Siddika Soma, Sub-Inspector of Badda Police Station, said police were informed that Monika had fallen from the eight-storey building. After completing legal formalities, the body was sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue for an autopsy. According to preliminary information gathered by police, Monika may have died by suicide after jumping from the building while suffering from mental distress. However,  as in the previous case, the exact cause and circumstances of her death will be confirmed after the autopsy report is received, the SI said.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Planning Ministry was formed, while the Parliamentary Business Advisory Committee was reconstituted on Wednesday. Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni moved two separate proposals for formation of a body and reconstitution of another one in line with the Rules of Procedure, which were passed in the House. Parliament adopts condolence motion on deaths of 16 ex-ministers, MPs Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan (Narsingdi-2) is the chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Planning Ministry. The other members of the body are State Minister for Planning Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki (Brahmanbaria-6), M Ruhul Quddus Talukder Dulu (Natore-2), Kazi Rafiqul Islam (Bogura-1), Moinul Islam Khan (Manikganj-2), Muhammad Fakrul Islam (Noakhali-5), Md Showkatul Islam (Moulvibazar-2), Farida Yeasmin (Women Seat-6), MD Saiful Alam (Dhaka-12), Md Rashedul Islam Rashed (Sherpur-1). Besides, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad is the chairman of the reconstituted Business Advisory Committee. Other members of this important committee are Prime Minister and Leader of the House Tarique Rahman, Leader of the Opposition Dr Shafiqur Rahman (Dhaka-15), Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain (Cumilla-1), Gayeshwar Chandra Roy (Dhaka-3), Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir (Thakurgaon-1), Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury (Chattogram-11), Salahuddin Ahmed (Cox’s Bazar-1), Kayser Kamal (Netrakona-1), Nurul Islam Moni (Barguna-2), Md Asaduzzaman (Jhenaidah-1), Syed Abdullah Muhammad Taher (Cumilla-11), ATM Azharul Islam (Rangpur-2), Nahid Islam (Dhaka-11) and Muhammad Nawshad Zamir (Panchagarh-1). With the reconstitution of the parliamentary body, Mirza Abbas Uddin Ahmed has been dropped from the Business Advisory Committee, while Kayser Kamal has been included.

A Walton showroom in the capital’s Dhanmondi area caught fire on Wednesday evening. The fire erupted at the showroom on the first floor of a six-storey building on Road No. 27 of the posh area around 6:00pm, according to Rakibul Hasan, duty officer at the control room of the Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters. On receiving the information, two firefighting units rushed to the scene and doused the blaze at 6:42pm, he said, adding that no casualties were reported in the incident. Rakibul Hasan said the fire was caused by an electrical malfunction.

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has launched a new initiative titled ‘City Inspector’ to encourage responsible civic behavior, improve cleanliness, and strengthen dengue prevention efforts. The six-month pilot project was inaugurated on Wednesday in Ward No. 9 of Motijheel with financial support from ACHI Bangladesh (American Affordable Community Healthcare Initiative). 63 DSCC wards at dengue risk, 27 in critical zone: Pre-Monsoon Survey Speaking at the inauguration ceremony held at Nagar Bhaban, DSCC Administrator Md Abdus Salam said maintaining a clean city is not the sole responsibility of the city corporation, but requires active participation and awareness from citizens. “A city becomes truly livable when every household, shop and institution keeps its premises clean. The initiative launched in Ward No. 9 can serve as a model for the entire city,” he said. According to DSCC, 20 City Inspectors will be deployed in the field until December 9 under the pilot project. Motijheel area has been divided into 10 zones, with inspectors visiting homes, businesses and institutions to raise awareness, distribute informational leaflets and identify potential breeding grounds for Aedes mosquitoes. The administrator said the primary role of the City Inspectors will be to educate residents and help establish a culture of cleanliness and public responsibility. He also highlighted the close link between public health and environmental cleanliness, noting that greater public awareness could significantly reduce the risks of dengue outbreaks, air pollution, dust pollution and waterlogging. Under the programme, inspectors will also monitor whether residents are disposing of waste properly and fulfilling their civic responsibilities. Surveys will be conducted to assess public compliance, and responsible as well as irresponsible practices may be highlighted through social awareness campaigns. Abdus Salam said the initiative would be expanded to other wards of DSCC if the pilot project succeeds in transforming Motijheel’s Ward No. 9 into a model ward. Representatives of Achi Bangladesh, senior DSCC officials and local community leaders attended the event.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested a former bank official for allegedly embezzling around Tk 5 lakh by using a customer’s credit card. The arrested person has been identified as Sarwar Hossain, 40, son of Golam Mawla.   A team of CID’s Dhaka Metropolitan, West, unit arrested him on Monday afternoon from Gulshan. According to the case statement, Sarwar Hossain was working as a Senior Relationship Officer  at a reputed bank in 2017 when a customer applied for a credit card in his name. Although the customer later returned the card to the bank but the accused  did not submit it to the bank and instead kept it in his possession. He allegedly used fake mobile numbers and addresses to maintain control of the card, ensuring that all OTPs were sent to him, and subsequently carried out fraudulent transactions using the credit card. Recently, the victim came to know from a Credit Information Bureau (CIB) report that a loan had been issued against his name in 2017, which he was completely unaware of and had never applied for. The victim later lodged a written complaint with Bangladesh Bank, bringing the matter to the attention of the bank authorities. Following an internal investigation, the fraud was detected, and a case was filed with Tejgaon Industrial Area Police Station. Investigation revealed that a total of Tk 17,70,213 was transacted using the credit card between late 2017 and mid-2022. Of the total amount, Tk 14,13,500 was later repaid, while Tk 5,56,995, including outstanding liabilities, was allegedly embezzled. CID officials said Sarwar Hossain abused the trust placed in him while working at the bank to commit the fraud. He left the job in 2019 but allegedly continued transactions using the credit card. CID’s Dhaka Metropolitan ,West, unit is currently investigating the case, and operations are ongoing to identify and arrest others involved.

The sudden breakdown of a 40-body mortuary cooler at the morgue of Dhaka Medical College (DMC) has created serious difficulties in preserving bodies and conducting post-mortem examinations, prompting the hospital’s Forensic Medicine and Toxicology Department to seek urgent repairs. According to an official letter sent to the DMC principal, the mortuary cooler has remained out of service since June 2, causing significant disruption to regular morgue operations. Unidentified man found dead in DMCH area In the letter, signed by Prof Dr Kazi Golam Mukhlesur Rahman, head of the Forensic Medicine and Toxicology Department, the department said the malfunction has severely hampered body preservation and routine autopsy activities. The letter urged the hospital authorities to treat the matter as highly urgent, warning that a prolonged shutdown could worsen the crisis and further disrupt forensic services. Copies of the letter were also sent to the vice-principal, secretary and other relevant offices. Several morgue employees, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the cooler has been completely non-functional for the past week and that no effective action has yet been taken despite informing the authorities. They said the morgue normally has the capacity to preserve around 40 bodies, but due to the breakdown, only seven bodies can currently be accommodated. As a result, authorities are facing difficulties in receiving new bodies because of concerns over decomposition and foul odours. The employees also said bodies are now being kept on the morgue veranda and on room floors, creating an uncomfortable and potentially hazardous environment for staff. The strong smell has made it difficult for employees to perform their duties, while movement through adjacent passageways has also become challenging. They added that the 40-body mortuary cooler had been provided to Dhaka Medical College Hospital by a foreign organisation and called for immediate intervention to restore the facility. Confirming the situation, DMC Principal Prof Dr Md Mazharul Shaheen said the hospital administration is aware of the problem and has already informed the higher authorities. “We hope the necessary steps will be taken soon to resolve the issue,” he said.

Workers of NASSA Group blocked a key road in the capital on Monday, demanding payment of outstanding wages, causing severe traffic congestion and disrupting vehicular movement for around two and a half hours. According to police, around 200-250 workers took position on the Tejgaon-Gulshan Link Road crossing of the Mahakhali-Satrasta road about 4:30pm and staged a demonstration to press for their demand. The protests halted traffic on the busy route and triggered gridlock on surrounding roads, including the Mahakhali-Satrasta road and Tejgaon-Gulshan Link Road. The blockade continued until the evening when police and relevant authorities persuaded the workers to leave the roadway. Subsequently, traffic resumed after 7:00pm. Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Tejgaon Industrial Area Police Station Mahbubur Rahman said the workers received all dues, including wages, before Eid and were currently demanding payment of one month's outstanding salary. “The workers took to the streets demanding their unpaid salary be paid. Police were deployed at the scene and efforts were made to convince them to clear the road,” he said. The OC also said the group's principal owners are currently in jail in connection with various cases, leaving no effective representatives from the management side available for discussions to resolve the issue. “Even then, we tried our best to bring the situation under control,” he said, adding that after negotiations, the workers withdrew the blockade, allowing traffic to return to normal.

Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday said treated water from the Meghna River will be supplied to the two Dhaka city corporations to meet the capital's growing demand for water and reduce dependence on groundwater. He made the remarks during a visit to the Gandharbapur Water Treatment Plant in Rupganj upazila of Narayanganj district. Mirza Fakhrul urges urgent action to restore rivers, civic services to make Dhaka livable The water treatment plant, having a daily treatment capacity of 50 crore litres, is nearing completion, Mirza Fakhrul said. “For years, Dhaka has relied mainly on groundwater to meet its water demand. Excessive extraction has raised concerns that the groundwater level could fall to nearly 1,000 metres, creating a serious environmental challenge,” he said. To address this situation, water from the Meghna River is being treated and will be supplied to residents of the two city corporations in Dhaka, the minister added. He said the project, being implemented at a cost of around Tk 10,000 crore, has reached its final stage and is expected to be completed within the next year. Once operational, the facility will be capable of supplying around 50 crore litres of safe drinking water every day, Mirza Fakhrul, also BNP secretary general, said. He also revealed plans for another similar project that will add an additional 50 crore litres of treated water daily. “With the implementation of both projects, a total of 100 crore litres of purified water can be supplied every day to the residents of the two Dhaka city corporations,” the minister said. Earlier in the day, he attended a meeting on the project and later inspected the ongoing construction work along with officials concerned.

A man died after falling from the sixth floor of a building while installing an air conditioner in the capital's Elephant Road area on Sunday night. The deceased was identified as Shamim Hossain Saju, 45, owner of New Confidence Refrigeration. The incident occurred around 8:30 pm near the Bata Signal intersection on Elephant Road. He was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) in critical condition, where doctors declared him dead. Saju hailed from Medeni Mondol village in Louhajang upazila of Munshiganj district. He was the son of late Nurul Islam and had been living with his family in the Chunkutia area of Keraniganj. Md Mamun, an employee of Saju's refrigeration business, said Saju and several workers had gone to a residence near Bata Signal in the morning to install an air conditioner. While fitting the AC unit on the exterior side of the sixth-floor building, Saju fell to the ground and sustained critical injuries, he said. He was immediately taken to DMCH, where the on-duty physician at the emergency department pronounced him dead. Inspector Md Faruk, in-charge of the DMCH police outpost, confirmed the death, citing the attending doctor. The body has been kept at the hospital morgue and the matter has been reported to the concerned police station, he added.