Chandpur
Covid patient in Chandpur ‘attempts suicide’
A Covid-19 patient, undergoing treatment at Chandpur General Government Hospital, reportedly attempted suicide by jumping off the second floor of the hospital on Saturday.
Witnesses said Beauty Begum, 35, wife of Khokon Mia of Algi village in Haimchar upazila, has been undergoing treatment at the isolation ward of the hospital for the past 11 days.
Read: Covid patient ‘commits suicide’ in Satkhira
When Beauty’s mother-in-law who was attending her went to the toilet around 6 PM, she jumped off the second floor of the hospital, injuring her right leg and backbone, said its medical officer, Omar Faruk.
Though she is still Corona positive, Beauty was doing well, Faruk said, adding that she is now being treated for her bone injuries.
UNO breaks up picnic organised in brazen breach of lockdown
In the midst of the strictest phase of COVID-19 restrictions imposed in the country since the start of the pandemic, one group of 50-60 people somehow found it appropriate to organise a picnic - and not even be discreet about it.
The strictness of the restrictions of course reflect the severity of the outbreak and how that has shifted. It shouldn't take an epidemiologist to tell us that Bangladesh is currently experiencing the worst phase of its entire outbreak.
The daily numbers coming out of DGHS, and out of them three in particular, are stark enough to not require expert interpretation of what they mean from a public health perspective.
The fact is that the number of deaths due to COVID-19 being reported on each day, the number of new cases, and the latest positivity rate (the percentage of tests returning positive for the virus), are all pointing in the wrong direction, and they've done so for quite a prolonged period now.
Yet as if oblivious to it all, this group of people hired out a trawler for the day, and blaring loud, incongruous picnic music on the vessel's PA system, set sail on Sunday morning down a famous canal in Chandpur.
Read: Covid-19 in Bangladesh: 200+ deaths, 11,291 new cases recorded
That they would be so brazen about it would prove their undoing however, as word started going around almost immediately of this blatant breach of the emergency restrictions.
By mid-day, Matlab Dakkhin UNO Fahmida Haque, assuming her executive magistrate powers leading a mobile court, was able to reach the spot on the Boaljuri canal that they were in.
There she broke up the picnic with other officials and made five of the organizers pay a penalty of Tk 11,500 against five cases of violating lockdown rules by organising a public gathering and playing loud music on speakers.
During the raid, the UNO seized the food catered for the picnic party and later distributed it among some local orphanages and madrasahs - fashioning a good ending to a story that could so easily have been sordid.
Prohibited piranha cultivated and sold in Chandpur
Piranha, a banned fish in many countries including Bangladesh, is being widely sold in different areas of Chandpur.
It was learned that the prohibited piranha cultivation was increasing day by day in the fish-paddy farming projects and in local ponds in Faridganj upazila.
Many complained that no action was being taken by the administration, in this regard.
The fish is being widely sold in Faridganj Sadar Bazar Fish Market, Bhatialpur Chowrasta Fish Market, Gallak Bazar Fish Market and other small fish markets as well.
READ: Five jailed for selling piranha at Kawran Bazar
Buying it from wholesalers, the retailers were selling the banned fish both in local markets and from door to door in remote areas.
Rahim, who sells fish door to door said that the price of piranha was Tk 100 -150 per kg.
It tastes like the local brigade fish he says to the customers while selling it.
According to doctors, piranhas are so deadly to human health that in many countries there is a provision of jail and fine against those who cultivate and market this fish.
Piranha fish farming and marketing is a crime in Bangladesh too.
In this regard, Upazila Fisheries Officer Mst. Farhana Akhter Ruma told UNB correspondent that it is illegal to cultivate and sell piranha. Action would be taken in consultation with UNO after the lockdown.
Upazila Nirbahi Officer Shiuli Hari said, the piranha fish has been banned by law as it is harmful to the human body.
She also said that she would ask the Upazila Fisheries Officer to take immediate action in this regard.
READ: Weird ‘living fossil’ fish lives 100 years, pregnant for 5
Piranha originated in the Amazon region of South America. Highly aggressive with sharp teeth, this fish is a threat to other fish and can harm humans as well as the aquatic environment. They are also capable of killing people instantly by attacking in schools.
‘Extortionist’ beaten dead in Chandpur
A local ‘extortionist’ was beaten to death at Srirayerchar in Matlab (North) upazila of Chandpur district on Saturday.
The deceased was identified as Mamun Bepari, 38, son of Mohammad Ali of Gazaria in Munshiganj district.
Quoting workers at the bulkhead, Sirajul Islam, in-charge of Beltoli River Police, said Mamun along with his associates went to the Dhangona River to collect toll from trawlers in the afternoon.
At one stage, Mamun engaged in an altercation with workers and assaulted them.
Also read: 4 more suspects arrested over Lalmonirhat lynching
Outraged by his attack, the workers with the help of local people caught Mamun and gave him a good thrashing, leaving him seriously injured.
He was taken to Gazaria Health Complex where doctors declared him dead.
Also read: Badda lynching: HC rule seeks Tk 1 cr compensation for Renu’s family
Later, Mamun’s followers swooped on Santoshpur village under Baganbari union and vandalised 5-6 houses.
Nine people were injured during the mayhem.
Also read: Police save youth from lynching in Natore
Rare 'cheetah cat' found in Chandpur
A rare species described as a "cheetah cat" was caught in Harina area of Chandpur’s Matlab Uttar upazila.
At around 11 am on Tuesday, locals managed to capture the cat.
It was learned that teenagers were chasing the unidentified cat near Harina crossroads and eventually managed to capture it.
Also read: Rare fishing cat captured in Chattogram village
Some locals said it was a tiger cub, some said of a leopard and others said a fishing cat.
When taken to the office of Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), Upazila Animal Resources Officer Dr. Faruk Hossain identified it as a rare “cheetah cat”.
Dr. Faruk Hossain said although this cat looked like a tiger cub, it was actually a 'cheetah cat'. UNB was unable to independently verify the species on Tuesday night.
Also read: Rare red coral kukri snake spotted again in Panchagarh
UNO Gazi Shariful Islam thanked the locals for capturing the rare cat without harming it and handing it over to the authority.
It would be soon handed over to the concerned Wildlife Management and Nature Conservation Department, said the UNO.
Meanwhile, the officer was offered large sum of cash to sell the rare cat as a pet by three higher officials but he declined all requests.
More than Tk 5 lac stolen from Al-Arafah agent bank in Chandpur
An amount of Tk 5.27 lac was stolen from an agent bank of Al-Arafah Bank in Chandpur’s Hajiganj on Monday night.
On Tuesday, the windows were found broken at Al Arafah Islami Bank agent branch in Belancho Bazar of Hajiganj and Tk 5.27 lac cash was found stolen from the bank vault.
Police OC Mohammad Harun Rashid told UNB on the spot that the thieves broke the grill of the window on the east side of the bank some time on Monday night.
Mizanur Rahman, the branch manager of the bank said, "There were three people in charge, including operator manager. I have informed the matter to the head office.”
READ: ACC files case against 17 people including 16 AB bank officials
Afzal Hossain, an agent, said the branch had started operations two months ago which is why they were not able to install CCTV cameras yet.
A case was filed with Hajiganj police station in this regard.
READ: Tk 37.7mn missing: ACC files case against two Dhaka Bank officials
Harunur Rashid, officer-in-charge of Hajiganj police station, said police were investigating and preparing for legal action.
Son gets married after father's burial in Chandpur
A person on Friday was killed in a road crash in Chandpur’s Matlab Dakkhin upazila, on the day of his son’s marriage.
The deceased was identified as Abul Bakaul, 65, of Uttor Nagda village of the upazila.
Read:2 killed in Fatullah road accident
After Jummah, Abul went to buy sweets for his son’s wedding when in Dagarpur area a three wheeler collided head-on with the battery powered auto-bike carrying him.
He was rushed to the Chandpur General Hospital by his son and locals where he died in the afternoon.
Later that evening after the funeral of his father Rubel Bakaul got married.
Read: 7 killed, 22 injured in three road accidents in Chattogram, Rangamati
By Saturday it became a matter of common gossip in the village.
Neighbor Jilani Talukder said that the limited scale wedding ceremony took place on the decision of both families.
Read:4 killed in Bhola road accident
Matlab Dakkhin Police Station Officer-in-charge Mohammad Mohiuddin Mia said no one from the family had informed the police and there was no complaint.
However, police were sent to the spot, on information, he said
Covid patient infected with Indian variant held in Chandpur
A Bangladeshi man who fled Jashore hospital after testing positive for the Indian variant of Coronavirus last week was detained from Chandpur on Wednesday.
Younus Gazi, 28, a resident of Cahrrampur village, was held from the district’s Bipinbag area in a drive conducted by a team of Faridganj police led by Officer-in-Charge Md Shahid Hossain.
Also read: Covid-19: Three more cases of Indian variant reported in Bangladesh
Three of Gazi’s family members, including his mother, were admitted to the Isolation Ward of Faridganj Upazila Health Complex under police surveillance, Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr Ashraf Ahmed Chowdhury said Thursday.
“Samples were collected from them today for testing,” he said.
Also read: Indian Variant: The New Concern
Ten coronavirus patients fled from the Jashore District Government Hospital on April 24 and 25. Six of them, including Gazi, had returned from India.
Police caught all 10 patients on April 26 and brought them back to the hospital.
Also read: Indian variant couldn't spread much: Health Minister
Gazi managed to flee from there on May 13 while he tested positive for the Indian variant of the virus.
Largest congregation on Juma'atul Wida held at Hajiganj amid pandemic
The century-old 'Boro Masjid' in Hajiganj of Chandpur has earned a reputation of holding one of the largest congregations on Juma'atul Wida, the last Jumma (Friday) prayer of Ramadan, over the years.
This year was no different despite the risk of Covid-19 outbreak.
Around 1 lac people gathered at the mosque ignoring the scorching sun and wearing masks.
Although devotees were supposed to join prayers maintaining social distancing, by 11 am the first two floors of the huge mosque was filled to the brim by Muslim devotees.
Not only the mosque but also the surrounding Ahmadia Alia Madrasa grounds and buildings, Jamia Ahmadiyya Qawmi Madrasa Bhaban, Hajiganj Tower, Rajnigandha Market, Hajiganj Plaza, Business Prime Bank Bhaban and the former municipality building was completely occupied by the worshippers within 12:30 pm.
Also read: Juma’atul Wida observed
By 1 pm, the wave of Muslim devotees spread till the Cumilla-Chandpur regional highway which even halted the movement of transportation during the period.
At the end of the prayers, Imam and Khatib Alhaj Mufti Abdur Rauf offered special prayers for the welfare of the country and sought a world free of Covid -19.
During the munajat, the sky and air became muffled by the sound of worshippers saying 'Amin' after the imam.
Regarding the preparations for the Jamaat of Juma'atul Wida, Shakil Ahmed, the Motawalli (Acting) of the Hajiganj Historical Grand Mosque, said, "Due to the epidemic, special measures have been taken to perform Juma'atul Wida prayers this time as compared to other years. We have tried our best to serve the worshipers.
He further said that the police force of Hajiganj police station, various social organizations and local organizations have provided us with adequate support for the peaceful and orderly conduct of prayers. I express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to them and look forward to their continued support in the future.
Juma'atul Wida or the last Friday prayers in congregation in Ramadan, is meant for saying farewell to the glorious month of fasting.
Missing expatriate found dead in Chandpur corn field
Police on Tuesday recovered the decomposed body of an expatriate who went missing two weeks ago.
Police had been called in after a body was found in a corn field in Chandpur’s Rampur union by a farmer.
The deceased Osman Gani Munshi (30), son of late Rustam Ali Munshi of Kamranga village under Rampur union, was missing for nearly a fortnight.
Additional superintendent of Chandpur Police Snigdha Sarkar confirmed the body was of the missing expatriate.
Farmer Sukumar Chandra said, “When I went to the field around 5 pm, I got a bad smell and called my nephew. With him I entered the corn field and found the corpse."
Malaysian expatriate Osman Gani was a mason and a raw material trader by profession.
His four-month-pregnant wife, Salma, said: "My husband went out for work as usual but did not return two weeks ago."
According to the police, on April 12, Osman went to his aunt's house in Devpur Bepari Bari from where he went missing.
OC Abdur Rashid told UNB the body was sent to Chandpur Hospital morgue for autopsy.
ASI Snigdha Sarkar said whether he was killed or not can be ascertained by analyzing the evidence collected by PBI and CID.