United News of Bangladesh

A cashier of Barishal Government Women’s College died allegedly after jumping from the Barishal Chief Judicial Magistrate Court building on Tuesday afternoon. The deceased was identified as Md Nazmul Haq, 35. He jumped from the 6th floor of the 10-storey court building around 4:00pm, said Monirul Islam, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Model Police Station. He was rescued in critical condition and taken to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital, where an emergency department physician declared him dead. Court Police Inspector Tarak Biswas said police went to the spot after receiving information that someone fell from the court building and found Nazmul there. However, it could not be known immediately why Nazmul went to the court building and reason behind the fall. Police were investigating the incident, the OC said.

A 34-year-old man was stabbed to death allegedly following a dispute over drugs in the Akua Bhangarpul area of Mymensingh City Corporation on Tuesday. The deceased was identified as Saddam Hossain, son of Pannu Miah and a resident of the area. Police detained a 25-year-old man, Antar, in connection with the killing, said Mohammad Shibirul Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Mymensingh Kotwali Model Police Station. Law enforcers also recovered the knife allegedly used in the killing from the scene. Citing locals, police said Saddam went to Antar's two-storey house in Akua Bhangarpul around 11:30am. An argument broke out between the two over a drug-related issue and later turned into a scuffle. At one point, Antar allegedly stabbed Saddam repeatedly in the chest and abdomen with a knife. Locals rescued Saddam in critical condition and took him to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, where he died around 2pm while undergoing treatment. The OC said preliminary investigation suggested that the killing stemmed from a dispute over drugs. The body was sent to the hospital morgue for an autopsy. A case will be filed in connection with the incident, the OC said.

An assistant sub-inspector (ASI) of Chunarughat Police Station has been closed to Habiganj Police Lines after a video purportedly showing him making remarks about taking bribes went viral on social media. The punitive action was taken against ASI Mohammad Ilias Hossain, said Habiganj Superintendent of Police Md Tareq Mahmud on Tuesday. He said an assistant superintendent of police has been assigned to investigate the matter. The video reportedly shows Ilias making remarks about bribery while speaking to people during an investigation in connection with a case at Ranigaon Bazar in Chunarughat upazila recently. In the video, which is around one minute long, the ASI is heard telling those present, “If I say I am a Daroga and I do not take bribes, will I be the imam of Baitul Mukarram? I put on this uniform with bribe money to take bribes.” A local resident reportedly recorded the officer’s remarks on a mobile phone and the video was later circulated on Facebook, triggering criticism and discussion on social media. Officer-in-Charge of Chunarughat Police Station Mohammad Saiful Islam said he had seen the video and that the matter was being verified. 

Consumers in Faridpur are being forced to pay Tk 200 to Tk 500 more than the government-fixed price for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, adding to the financial pressure on households and small businesses amid price hikes. Consumers in different upazilas, including remote markets in Nagarkanda, Bhanga, Saltha and Madhukhali, said they often have to buy LPG cylinders at prices significantly higher than the official rate. Although LPG cylinders are available in the markets, consumers alleged that many retailers are selling them without adhering to the government-fixed price. The price  of a cylinder varies by brand and size, with some cylinders being sold for around Tk 2,000 to Tk 2,500 in different markets of Faridpur. The higher prices are particularly burdensome for low- and middle-income families who depend on LPG for cooking. Two auto-rickshaw drivers, a hotel owner and a homemaker on Mujib Road in Faridpur town said prices of almost all essential commodities have increased, leaving households with little room to absorb additional costs. Small businesses feel the pinch The rising cost of LPG is also affecting small businesses that depend on the fuel for cooking. Owners of hotels, restaurants, food shops and tea stalls said higher gas prices are increasing their operating costs at a time when their revenues have not risen proportionately. Several people in Nagarkanda Bazar said LPG costs differ significantly between the upazila headquarters and smaller rural markets. “Gas cylinders cost even more at small shops in villages. Who will control this system?” one local resident asked. A hotel owner said the rising price of LPG is making it increasingly difficult to maintain business operations. “As the price of gas rises, so does the cost of cooking. Other products are also expensive. Taken together, it has become difficult to run the business as before,” he said. Business owners said continued increases in LPG prices could further squeeze their already narrow profit margins, with some fearing that prolonged cost pressures could force small establishments to shut down. Retailers blame supply costs Retailers, however, attributed the higher prices partly to inadequate supply. They claimed they are often forced to procure cylinders at higher prices because of supply shortages, while transportation and other associated costs make it difficult to sell LPG at the government-fixed rate. Consumers, however, said supply-related costs should not be used as a justification for routinely charging prices above the official rate. They also alleged that regular monitoring by the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection is not visible in many markets of the district. They called for regular market drives and stronger enforcement to ensure that LPG is sold at the government-fixed price. Authorities promise action Faridpur Additional District Magistrate Susmita Saha said instructions have already been given to the upazila nirbahi officers and executive magistrates across the district to monitor LPG prices. “The UNOs and executive magistrates of all upazilas have been instructed to monitor the market over LPG prices. If evidence is found that LPG is being sold above the fixed price, necessary legal action will be taken,” she said.

Police recovered the charred body of a businessman from a field in Sujanagar upazila of Pabna district on Tuesday, a day after he went missing. The deceased was identified as Suprabhat Modok, 38, son of Satyacharan Modok of Ahmadpur village. He ran a hotel business at Kashinathpur Bazar. Police said Suprabhat went to a doctor on Monday for his wife’s check-up and then sent his wife home saying that he would return later. As he did not return they informed Aminpur Police Station at night. Local people spotted his charred body in the field behind his house around 8am on Tuesday and informed police. Officer-in-Charge Aminpur Police Station Fazle Elahi said it seems that Suprabhat has been murdered, but it is not yet clear whether he was burned before or after the killing. Police are investigating the incident, he said. The body was sent to Pabna General Hospital morgue for autopsy, and the family is preparing to file a case.

Rajshahi University (RU) authorities have relieved Prof Md Mahbubar Rahman,  provost of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall, of duties over allegations of inaction and deletion of CCTV footage after an attack on journalists allegedly by Chhatra Dal activists. Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Faridul Islam announced the decision after a meeting with protesting journalists and students at the VC's conference room around 1am Tuesday. The university authorities also assured the protesters that action would be taken against those involved in the attack within three days. “Respecting the sentiments of the journalists, we have removed the provost of Zia Hall. The remaining issues will be investigated and punishment will be ensured based on the findings,” he said. The protesting journalists said they placed six demands before the university administration, of which the demand for removing the hall provost has been accepted. They said the administration sought three days to implement the remaining five demands. Journalists said they want those involved in the attack to be identified through a fair investigation within these three days and punished according to university rules. The protesting journalists also alleged that although they sought CCTV footage of the attack, the provost refused to provide it and that the crucial footage was subsequently deleted. However, the hall provost denied the allegation of deleting CCTV footage. A five-member committee has been formed to investigate an attack on journalists carried out allegedly by activists of Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) on the campus. On Sunday, 10 people including four journalists were injured in an attack allegedly by some leaders and activists of JCD in front of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Hall around 8:30 pm.

A Criminal Investigation Department (CID) inspector was killed after being crushed under the wheels of a truck in Khulna city on Monday night. The deceased was identified as Md. Fazlur Rahman, 47, son of Abu Taleb Khan of Barandi Fakirhat area under Abhaynagar upazila in Jashore district. The accident occurred around 8:30pm at the Garrison intersection under Khanjahan Ali Police Station in the city. Babul Akter, Khanjahan Ali Police Station Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), said police rushed to the scene following the report and legal procedures regarding the crash are currently underway.

Detective Branch (DB) and Kaliganj police have given conflicting accounts over the arrest of a sweetmeat businessman from Hatibandha’s Tushbhandar. Debdas Roy Babul, owner of Jatin and Sons Mishtanna Bhandar, 58, was picked up by DB from the Lalmonirhat District and Sessions Judge Court premises on Monday afternoon while attending a hearing in a land-related case, his lawyer said. DB Officer-in-Charge Roushan Kabir said Babul was taken into custody as police feared he could face a mob attack on the court premises. However, later Kaliganj police said Babul was arrested in front of the BGB canteen in Lalmonirhat town in connection with an anti-terrorism case filed at Kaliganj Police Station about a year ago. Kaliganj Police Station Inspector (Investigation) Osman Gani said he could not immediately recall details of the case. Babul’s lawyer claimed that a local influential group was trying to occupy 40 percent of his client’s land, worth around Tk 5 crore, and that a related case was pending in court. Lalmonirhat Police Superintendent Md Asaduzzaman said Babul’s involvement had been found during the investigation of the anti-terrorism case filed a year ago. He also said police would take legal action if anyone tried to enter the disputed land in Babul’s absence.

A man was shot to death by unidentified assailants in Rupsa upazila of Khulna on Monday evening, 51 days after his son was hacked to death. The deceased was identified as Aktar Dhali, 64, of Durjani Mahal village under Aichgati union. Police said Aktar was sitting in front of his house around 7:30pm when unidentified assailants approached him and shot him before fleeing the scene. The killing triggered panic among local residents. Senior police officials visited the spot after being informed of the incident, said Rupsa Police Station Officer-in-Charge Anwar Zahid. On August 15 last, Aktar’s son Joy Dhali, 27, was hacked to death at the village in a similar attack.

Two people were killed and five others seriously injured when a tourist vehicle, locally known as a “Chander Gari”, plunged into a deep roadside ditch in Thanchi upazila of Bandarban on Monday afternoon. The identities of the deceased could not be known immediately. Accordinh to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), the accident occurred around 3:45pm on the Dimpahar-Tendumukh road, about 600 metres from the Tendumukh BGB checkpost. Personnel of Tendumukh BGB Camp under Bolipara Battalion (38 BGB), led by its commanding officer Lt Col Md Yasir Arafat Hossain, rushed to the spot after receiving information about the accident and launched a rescue operation. They recovered two people dead from the wreckage and rescued five others in critical condition. The injured were sent to Alikadam Upazila Health Complex. BGB informed Thanchi Police Station to take necessary legal steps regarding the bodies of the deceased. Lt Col Md Yasir Arafat Hossain said necessary legal and administrative measures regarding the accident are underway.