Bangladesh
Abul Khair's legacy: 67 freedom fighters awarded in Brahmanbaria
Sixty seven freedom fighters were awarded in Brahmanbaria, marking the prominent Brahmanbaria social worker K M Rafiqul Islam Khair Mia Saheb’s 101st Birth Anniversary.
On the occasion of his birth anniversary, Abul Khair Welfare Organization organized a day-long program at his home (Peer Bari) in North Lakshipur Hazir Hati area in Nabinagar Upazila in Brahmanbaria on Saturday.
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In this event, 35 freedom fighters of Birgaon Union and 32 freedom fighters of Krishnanagar Union were awarded by Abul Khair Welfare Organization. Social worker leader of the local farmers' movement Daru Mia awarded posthumously. Mr. Haji Golam Hossain (Abu Member) awarded for lifetime.
The programs also included various children's competitions, commemoration and cultural programs.
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Along with dignitaries from various professions Marshall Hussain, son of K. M Rafiqul Islam Khair and President, Mother Language Lovers of the World Society, USA Chapter, and Aminul Islam, President, Mother Language Lovers of the World Society, Canada, was present here.
Recently, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was conducted between International Mother Language Institution (IMLI), Education ministry of Bangladesh and Mother Language Lovers of the World Society, USA Chapter. Marshal Hussain and Aminul Islam are in Bangladesh to sign the MOU.
They all recalled the important contribution of K. M. Rafiqul Islam Khair Mia’s for the welfare of the country and people. They also appreciated the various development activities undertaken by the Abul Khair Welfare Organization.
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Baul Samrat Shafi Mondal, Rifat and Oishi and others were present for the cultural program. Unfortunately it’s canceled due to rain. The organizers apologized to the local residents for this.
Abul Khair Welfare Organization doing various social work including free treatment and medicine distribution among the people, food distribution, sewing machine distribution, financial assistance, cattle distribution, job-oriented training, housing construction; student support, technical education system, development of mosque madrasa etc.
Kashimpur inmate dies while undergoing treatment at Gazipur hospital
A prisoner who fell sick at Kashimpur Central Jail of Gazipur died at Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital on Saturday morning.
The deceased was Raton Mia, 45, son of Sirajul Mridha of Tongi East police station area of Gazipur metropolis.
Read: Anti Terrorism Unit rescues abducted victim from South Banasree; 5 held
He was in jail in a case filed under the Narcotics Control Act at Tongi police station, said Amirul Islam, jail superintendent of Kashimpur Central Jail Part-2.
“He suddenly felt sick at Kashimpur Central Jail around 8:30 am on Saturday. He was given first aid in the prison hospital. Later, Raton was sent to Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital for better treatment where doctors declared him dead around 10 am,” said Amirul Islam.
Read: Eldest son of man whose headless body was found in Patenga held in Dhaka
The body will be handed over to the relatives of the deceased after completion of the legal procedures, he added.
Anti Terrorism Unit rescues abducted victim from South Banasree; 5 held
Anti Terrorism Unit (ATU) conducted a drive at a flat of South Banasree Kazibari T&T Tower area in the city and rescued an abducted person and arresting five alleged kidnappers.
Six mobile phones, cash, sticks, hammers and ropes used in kidnapping were recovered from the possessions of the arrestees during the operation.
Also read: 2 BCL leaders arrested for abduction, robbery at Dhaka College
The arrested alleged kidnappers were identified as Bilkis aka Tanya, 30, Md. Biplab, 30, Ibrahim Hossain Raju, 29, Lincoln Khalifa, 24, and Amir Sheikh, 30.
Md Sanwar Hossain, Superintendent of Police (Operations) of the ATP headquarters, said a male teacher of Bangladesh Open University was introduced to Bilkis on Facebook one week back. Since then, the arrested Bilkis kept contacting the victim, an Open University teacher, over Facebook on various pretexts, including seeking assistance regarding admissions in Open University.
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At one stage, the teacher went to Rampura Banasree area under Khilgaon police station to meet one of his brothers last Thursday morning. Being informed, Bilkis called the teacher over phone and requested him to meet her in front of the Banasree's 10 floor market for discussing admission in the Open University.
When the victim teacher went there, the arrested Bilkis, along with her accomplices forcibly kidnapped him and took him to the 6th floor flat of a house in Dakshin Banasree Kazibari T&T Tower area.
Later, the abductors threatened to kill the victim, tied his hands and feet and tortured him with sticks and hammers and took away Cash Tk3,000/- and from bkash account of Tk 20,000. Besides, they also recorded an offensive video of the victim on mobile phone and threatened to spread it on the internet.
Also read: RAB arrests sacked driver among three for kidnapping joint tax commissioner
To relief from torture, the arrested kidnappers asked the victim to bring a ransom of Tk 2,00,000/- from his family on the same day. Finding no other alternatives, the victim communicated with the husband of his sister over phone and requested him to send Tk 2 lakh through Bkash number given by the accused.
As the victim's phone was switched off and he did not return home on Wednesday, the victim's sister-in-law became suspicious and filed a general diary at Kalabagan police station in the capital (GD No. 318 of Kalabagan police station, dated October 5).
The next following day on Thursday, the abducted teacher again contacted his brother-in-law over phone and asked him to send the money. Finally, the victim's brother-in-law sent Tk45,000/- two times through Bkash.
In the meantime, family members of the victim informed the ATU headquarters about the matter. Following the complaint, the ATU conducted the drive at Banasree with the help of local Khilgaon thana police on Friday night at around 10:45 pm and rescued the victim, arresting the five abductors.
Eldest son of man whose headless body was found in Patenga held in Dhaka
Members of the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) arrested the eldest son of a man whose decapitated body was recently found in Chattogram’s Patenga Beach, from Dhaka’s Hazaribagh early Saturday.
The arrestee was named as Shafiqur Rahman Jahangir, eldest son of Md Hasan, whose decapitated body was recovered on September 22.
With this, four people including the victim’s wife Chhenowara Begum, another son Mostafizur Rahman and Shafiqur’s wife Anarkoli have so far been arrested in the incident.
Md Illias Khan, investigation officer of the case and inspector of Chattogram metro PBI, confirmed the arrest of eldest son Shafiqur saying that the arrestee was brought back to Chattogram from Dhaka and taken to Patenga to recover the missing head.
“We searched for the head but are yet to recover it till Saturday evening,” he said, adding that they earlier combed the area for the head taking Anarkoli on September 1 and 2.
Read: Body parts of a man found inside a luggage in Chattogram:Police
He said the gruesome killing was committed in Shafiqur's house, and later the body was chopped. The body, except the head and some other parts, was put inside a suitcase of Anarkoli and dumped in Patenga Sea Beach.
The head was wrapped in polythene and was left on the beach,with other parts in a canal on Akmal Ali Road of the city, the PBI officer said.
parts left in the canal were recovered on September 23 and only the head is still missing.On September 22, police recovered the decapitated body of Hasan, son of Sahab Miah of Boraitali area under Kathariya union of Banshkhali upazila in Chattogram district, from inside the suitcase in the Patenga area.
Initially, the identity of the deceased could not be known but later identified through fingerprint.
Patenga police station’s Sub-inspector Abdul Kadir filed a case in this connection. The PBI arrested the victim’s wife, son Mostafizur and sister-in-law Anarkoli.
Read: Police constable dies after falling off building in Chattogram
Hasan had no connection with his family over the past 30 years but he returned to the family around one year back when a dispute initiated between him, his wife and two sons over sharing his huge property.
The mother along with two sons planned to kill Hasan to grab all his property, police said.
As per the plan, Chhenowar Begum and her two sons strangled Hasan to death and chopped the body into nine pieces.
Read more: Decapitated body in luggage: Police unveil mystery in Ctg
Police arrest extortionist with revolver, chapatti from Mirpur
Police arrested an alleged extortionist of Mirpur area in the capital on charge of stabbing a shop owner for failing to collect and hand over the amount of extortion money required.
A Sub-Inspector of police also received stab injuries while conducting raids to arrest the perpetrator, said officer-in-charge (OC) of Mirpur Model Police Station Mohammad Mohsin.
The arrestee was identified as Fahim Ahmed, who is well known in the area as Chapati Fahim.
Fahim used to collect extortion money from local traders. If someone refused to pay the demanded money or complained against him, he resorted to attacking them with a chapati. Everyone knows him as Chapati Fahim as he goes around with chapati in his hand while extorting money, the OC said.
Read: Clashes at CU: 5 ‘outsiders’ arrested with arms
Fahim had been demanding money from a shop owner named Tanvir, 30, of Shewrapara area for last several days. As Tanvir refused to pay the demanded money, Fahim went to the shop again to collect tolls on Friday morning. Failing to realise the tolls, he hacked the shop owner with his chapati and reportedly took away Tk 2500 from the shop.
Being informed, a team of Mirour Model thana police led by SI Sohel Rana conducted a raid at Shewrapara area on Friday evening and arrested him at around 5:45 pm. Later, based on the information given by him, a revolver and the chapati were recovered from his house at night.
The OC said that Fahim was trying to flee the scene after stabbing SI Sohel Rana during the drive. Sohel Rana was given first aid.
Read: 4 held with firearms, bullets in Cumilla
He also said that the arrested Fahim is a identified extortionist of Mirpur. There are several cases against him at different police stations in the city.
He was arrested two months earlier on charges of extortion. After being released from jail 10 days ago, he started extortion again.
A case was filed with Mirpur Police station in connection with the incident.
Replying to a question, the OC said that Fahim was produced before a Dhaka CMM court seeking police remand Saturday.
After hearing, the court granted one day remand for interrogation, the OC added.
Read more: 6 arrested JCD leaders were ‘planning to display illegal firearms and create panic among the public’: Police
Rosatom's activities centring nuclear fuel delivery preceded handover
Rosatom, the state nuclear energy corporation of Russia, organised various activities well in advance to celebrate handing over the first batch of nuclear fuel to Bangladesh.
The nuclear fuel was handed over to the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) authority on October 5 through a formal ceremony at the power plant site in Ishwardi.
According to Rosatom, the main objective of the campaign was to highlight the positive aspects of nuclear energy and create interest in science and technology among the local students.
Director General of Rosatom Alexey Likhachev attended an event organized at Green City in Rooppur in the morning on October 5.
He was accompanied by the Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh, Alexander Mantitsky, and senior officials of Rosatom.
During the event, Likhachev interacted with local students and participated in the science-based game 'Goldberg'.
Speaking on the occasion, the Rosatom DG said, "You should try to create a new idea and work for its practical implementation."
Read: Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant to receive fresh batch of uranium from Russia’s Rosatom at ‘Graduation Ceremony’ tomorrow
Prior to this, Rosatom organized video screenings and lecture sessions in 20 schools of Ishwardi from September 17 to October 4, with the purpose to create awareness about nuclear energy.
More than 1,000 school students participated in these sessions.
The engineering division of Rosatom organized a two-week-long Science Olympiad titled 'Precise Energy' for school, college, and university students of the region in the second half of September and beginning of October.
The renowned Russian university "MEPhI" was actively involved in the program. Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission provides full cooperation. More than 1,200 students participated from 32 local schools in the junior group and several local universities in the senior group.
The subjects of the Olympiad were Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics. On October 2, the winners of the Olympiad were announced and awarded at a convention center in Ishwardi.
The prizes were handed over to the winners by Nina Dementsova, Head of Communications of Atomstroyexport, and Alexander Nakhabov, Deputy Head, of the Department of Physics, MEPhI University.
Read: Nuclear fuel for Rooppur power plant to arrive in Bangladesh in September, Rosatom DG tells PM
Govt restores 25,000 acres of encroached forest land in 3 years
In the last three years, some 24,322 acres of illegally encroached forest land has been restored, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Md Shahab Uddin revealed on Saturday.
The government has restored and afforested these lands from October 2020 to August 2023.
The minister responding to journalists after unveiling the newly built mural of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the Dokhla Range of Madhupur National Park in Tangail under the Ecotourism Development and Sustainable Management Project.
Read: Development should prioritise environmental protection over environmental damage: Dr Hossain Zillur
“The reclamation of illegal orest land is ongoing and campaigns will continue against those who occupy the forest land without valid documents,” he added.
“Our country has 22.37 percent forest land, which should be increased to 25 percent. For this, common people should come forward along with the government. Creating awareness among people will reduce illegal encroachment and encourage people to plant trees,” the minister said.
Read: Govt. working to make ship breaking industry safe, environment friendly: Environment minister
In this regard, he turned to the media for assistance.
Among others, the Minister of Agriculture Md Abdur Razzaque, lawmaker from Tangail 8 Constituency Md Joaherul Islam, Deputy Chief Forest Conservator Gobind Roy and Central Circle Forest Conservator Hossain Muhammad Nishad, were also present.
Deaths from dengue now 1079 with 15 more in last 24hrs
Fifteen more deaths were reported from dengue in 24 hours till Saturday morning, raising the fatalities from the mosquito-borne disease in Bangladesh to 1,079 this year.
During the period, 2,158 more patients were hospitalised with the viral fever, according to the DGHS.
Of the new patients, 585 were admitted to hospitals in Dhaka and the rest outside the capital--indicating a worsening situation across the country, DGHS said.
Read: Deaths from dengue now 1064 with 9 more reported Friday
A total of 9,171 dengue patients, including 2,912 in the capital, are now receiving treatment at hospitals across the country.
So far, the DGHS has recorded 220,822 dengue cases and 210,572 recoveries this year.
Read: Death toll from dengue rises to 1,055 with 9 more deaths in 24hr
September has so far been the deadliest month for the dengue outbreak this year with 396 fatalities and 79,598 cases, according to DGHS data.
Read more: Decision on dengue vaccine upon recommendation from NITAG: DGHS
2 dead, one wounded as motorbike hits roadside tree to save pedestrian in Jashore
Two people were killed and another was injured after a motorbike carrying them hit a roadside tree to save a pedestrian who was crossing Jashore-Benapole Highway in Jashore’s Sharsha upazila on Friday night.
The deceased Golam Faruk, 39, son of Abdur Jalil and Sohel Rana, 35, son of Sobhan Sardar, were residents of Kazipara and Ghop Central Road areas, respectively, in the district.
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The injured is Raj Kumar, 30, son of Joydev Kumar of Nehalpur Kharukhali village under Manirampur upazila of the district.
Witnesses said the three riding on the bike were heading towards Sharsha upazila from Benapole on Friday night.
The bike driven by Rana crashed into the roadside tree after losing control over the two-wheeler when he was trying to save a pedestrian around 11:00 pm. The impact of the accident left Rana dead on the spot and the two critically injured, they said.
Read: Man, nephew die by lightning strikes in Mymensingh
On information, officials from Benapole Fire Service and Civil Defence rushed to the spot and took them to Sharsha Upazila Health Complex where physicians declared Faruk dead upon arrival, according to them.
Raj Kumar Roy is now receiving treatment at the health complex.
Abdullah Al Mamun, officer-in-charge (OC) of Navaron Highway police station, confirmed the deaths of the duo saying that the bodies were handed over to their families.
Sisters Triumph Over Pandemic Challenges: "Epiphanies of a Young Mind" book unveiled in Dhaka
Epiphanies of a Young Mind, a poetry book written by Aahana Mundamattam and illustrated by Anaya Mundamattam, was launched in Bangladesh on Saturday at the Bookworm in Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed Park.
The book is a unique testament to the power of creativity, resilience, and sibling collaboration in challenging times.
More than 50 creative minds attended the book launch event and participated in a discussion on the book.
At just nine years of age, when the world was grappling with the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Aahana Mundamattam started penning her emotions, fears, and joys into evocative poems. Her journey from Dhaka to India during the strict lockdowns and the transition to a new life formed the soulful backdrop to this poetic collection, according to a press release.
Aahana Mundamattam stated, "I have poured my heart and soul into these words. They are a compilation of my greatest joys and my deepest fears. They are a timeline of the past two years and how they have changed me.”
Read: ‘Preema Donna – An Infinite Journey’ book unveiled
While Aahana navigated the world of poetry, her sister, Anaya Mundamattam, battled her mental health challenges to create mesmerizing art that compliments each poem. Anaya's introspective artistry combines with Aahana's poignant words, creating a tapestry of emotions and experiences.
The sisters' dedication to their craft was evident during the event, where they shared insights into their creative processes, inspirations, and the power of art as a healing tool. Attendees were particularly moved by the artwork's personal touches and the poems' raw honesty.