Mymensingh
Amid support and challenges, mosque for hijra community opens in Mymensingh
In Mymensingh city, this Ramadan marked the opening of a pioneering mosque dedicated to members of the hijra community.
The "Third Gender Community and Dakshin Char Kalibari Ashrayan Mosque," situated on the picturesque banks of the Brahmaputra River, symbolizes a significant stride towards inclusivity in religious spaces.
Spanning an area of 33 decimals, the mosque not only serves the spiritual needs of the local hijra population but has also welcomed Muslims from the broader community.
The initiative, driven by the "Setu Bondhon Hijra Welfare Association," emerged in response to the discrimination and ridicule faced by hijra individuals in traditional mosques.
The derogatory treatment led to a collective decision to establish a dedicated space for worship, supported by a generous land donation and funding facilitated by the Mymensingh Divisional Commissioner, Ommey Salma Tanzia.
Read more: Empowering transgender and hijra communities a priority of the state: NBR chairman
The mosque's construction on donated land in Badikandi village was strategically planned to coincide with Ramadan, fostering a sense of community and belonging among the worshippers.
Featuring a modest single-story design with tin walls and a roof, the mosque includes a veranda, tube well, and toilets, ensuring basic amenities for its congregants. Additionally, the installation of three loudspeakers enables the regular call to prayer, further solidifying the mosque's role in the community's daily religious life.
Akhi, a member of the local hijra community, highlighted the transformative impact of the mosque, mentioning, "Throughout our lives, we have heard stories that when hijras die, their bodies are dumped in the river. There was no burial ground. Now, alongside our mosque, there is also a cemetery."
This statement underscores the profound significance of the mosque and adjoining cemetery as symbols of dignity and respect for the hijra community.
Joyita Tanu Hijra, president of the hijra association, recounted the journey towards establishing the mosque, from facing mockery in local mosques to securing the necessary land and funds through the support of the Divisional Commissioner and generous donors.
Read more: Sherpur Hijra community demands respectable jobs
The appointment of Hafiz Maulana Karimul Islam as the imam signifies the mosque's commitment to providing spiritual guidance and support to all worshippers, including the hijra community.
Abdul Motalib, president of the Mosque Management Committee, expressed the local community's support for the hijra community's endeavors, emphasizing the collaborative spirit in offering prayers and conducting religious activities.
The Divisional Commissioner, Ommey Salma Tanzia, praised the initiative as commendable, highlighting the mosque's role in offering a safe and welcoming space for hijra individuals to practice their faith.
Looking ahead, plans for expanding the mosque complex to include a madrasa, a primary school, and enhanced cemetery facilities are underway.
This ambitious vision reflects a hopeful future for inclusivity and acceptance within religious spaces, not only in Bangladesh but potentially setting a precedent for the world.
Read more: Enact law to protect rights of transgender, hijra community: Speakers
Body of 14-year-old boy recovered from banana plantation in Mymensingh
Police recovered the body of an auto-rickshaw driver from Trishal upazila of Mymensingh on Tuesday.
The body was found at a banana plantation in Ragmara Chairman Bari area near Dhaka-Mymensingh highway of the upazila on Tuesday afternoon.
The deceased was identified as Rakib, 14 of Konabari village of Sadar union of the upazila.
Homeo doctor given no chance in macabre daylight killing murdered in Mymensingh
Abu Bakar Siddique, officer-in-charge (investigation) of Trishal Police Station, confirmed the matter.
According to police and family sources, Rakib was a physically challenged auto-rickshaw driver. On Monday afternoon, he left home with his autorickshaw and did not return home at night. Rakib's family members could not find him after searching in various places.
ASI killed in Mymensingh road accident
A day after he was missing, locals found the body lying on the plantation on Tuesday afternoon and informed the police. Later, police recovered the body from the spot. However, his autorickshaw was not found. Family members went to the spot and identified the body.
Rakib's father Babul Mia said, "My physically challenged son was missing since yesterday. He used to drive an autorickshaw. I searched for my son all night in the surrounding upazilas. I couldn't find him. Although his body was found today, we did not get the autorickshaw. We, father and son, used to earn money with this autorickshaw."
Mymensingh-3: Poppy's win confirmed, AL moves to 263
The body was sent to the Mymensingh Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy. A case in this regard is under process to be filed at the police station, said the OC.
Election 2024: List of winners from Mymensingh division
The Awami League won a comfortable two-thirds majority for a fourth election in a row on Sunday, in 299 out of 300 constituencies, and a strong showing by independent candidates as predicted.
Ruling party candidates won in 222 seats in Sunday’s election, while independent candidates — most of them belonging to AL — won 62 seats.
Here’s the list of candidates from Mymensingh division who won in the National Election 2024:
6 RMG workers dead after bus runs them over on highway in Trishal
At least six workers of a garment factory were dead and eight others were injured when a speeding bus ran them over while they were waiting to board another bus on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in Trishal upazila, under Mymensingh district, today (October 11, 2023).
Four of the deceased were identified as Jesmine Akter, 35; Sirajul Islam, 40; Sohel Mia, 28; and Liton Mia, 30, of Sadar upazila while the identities of two others could not be known immediately.
Quoting locals, Main Uddin, officer-in-charge of Trishal Police Station, said a Dhaka-bound bus of ‘SS Travellers’ from Sherpur made a sudden stop at Chelerghat around 7:30 am today, as one of its tyres got punctured.
Read: Man, grandson drown in Mymensingh pond
Passengers of the bus got off and were waiting on the highway for another bus. Around 8 am, a bus arrived at the spot, and they tried to board it.
At this time, another bus, speeding on the highway, hit the people standing on the road -- leaving three dead on the spot and 11 injured.
Read: Mother, minor daughter found hanging in Mymensingh house
Of the injured, three died on the way to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital.
Vehicular movement on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway remained halted for some time after the accident.
Read: Lightning kills 2 students in Mymensingh
AL launches district and city level training for trainers and field-level campaigners in Mymensingh
The training programme for district and metropolitan city level trainers and field-level campaigners of Bangladesh Awami League was launched on Tuesday in Mymensingh, following the special initiative of the party to disseminate the message of the government’s development programmes and future plans to every voter’s doorstep ahead of the next national election.
A press conference was held at 11 am at Mymensingh city’s Green Point Community Center. After that, a formal inauguration and campaigner training workshop was held at Advocate Tarek Memorial Auditorium at 12 pm.
Awami League announces 12-day programme from September 23
Kabir Bin Anwar, Chief Coordinator of AL’s National Election Administration Committee, inaugurated the program. Mymensingh city unit Awami League President and city Mayor Md. Ikramul Haque and General Secretary Mohit Ur Rahman Shanto; Mymensingh district Awami League President Ehteshamul Alam and General Secretary Advocate Moazzem Hossain Babul were present at the programme.
AL govt won’t be ousted through movement: Razzaque to BNP
The training programme was conducted by focal point of “offline campaign”, Sufi Faruq Ibne Abubakar, and assistant focal point Syed Imam Baker.
Awami League had undertaken a special initiative to disseminate the message of the government’s development programmes and future plans to every voter’s doorstep ahead of the next national election. As part of this initiative, Awami League will form a “master trainer” group with university teachers who will go to each upazila and provide training at the upazila-level.
AL launches special program to disseminate message of dev and future plans door to door ahead of nat’l election
Rain, thundershowers likely in Dhaka, 5 other divisions
Dhaka and five other divisions may experience rain or thundershowers in 24 hours from 9 am on Wednesday (May 24, 2023).
Rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty/squally wind is likely to occur at many places over Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram & Sylhet divisions and at a few places over Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions with hails at isolated places over the country, said a bulletin of Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD).
Also Read: Despite rain, Dhaka's air quality 'unhealthy for sensitive groups’ this morning
A mild heat wave is sweeping over Khulna division and the districts of Rajshahi, Pabna, and Madaripur and it may abate from some places, it read. Day and Night temperatures may remain nearly unchanged over the country.
Wind direction and speed at Dhaka were recorded as 10-15 kph East/southeasterly, with temporary gusting to 30-40 kph.
The country’s highest temperature was recorded at 36.6 degrees Celsius on Tuesday in Khulna and the lowest temperature was recorded in Tetulia at 20.2 degrees Celsius.
Read more: Govt issues precautionary measures to avoid lightning strikes
Man dead in wild elephant attack as villagers try to chase them away in Mymensingh
A man died in a wild elephant attack when villagers were chasing the herd at Gabrakhali border area in Mymensingh’s Haluaghat upazila.
The deceased was identified as Md. Iddis Mia, 50.
According to locals, a herd of 30-35 wild elephants came to the Gabrakhali border area and went into the village’s crop fields looking for food.
Villagers of Kandapara chased the herd to drive them away.
Iddis Mia was attacked when he got too close to the herd, said Md. Abdul Mannan, Chairman of Gazirvita union parishad.
Shahinuzzaman, officer-in-charge of Haluaghat police station, confirmed the matter.
PM inaugurates 73 dev works, lays foundation stones of 30 more in Mymensingh
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today inaugurated 73 newly completed development works and laid foundation stones of 30 others in Mymensingh.
The 73 development works have been implemented under 23 projects at a cost of Tk 570 crore, while 30 other development works will be implemented under 14 projects at the cost of Tk 2,762 crore.
The premier unveiled the name plaques of the development works before addressing a mammoth public rally at the Circuit House ground in Mymensingh city.
Read more: PM Hasina to inaugurate 23 projects in Mymensingh on Saturday
The development works opened today include mural of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman adjacent to the central Shaheed Minar of Mymensingh, the 50-bed Dr Mushfiqur Rahman Shubho Memorial Islamic Mission Hospital at Sirta village in Sadar upazila, construction of a 1000-seat auditorium and community center at Trishal upazila, sanitation projects including water supply and human waste management in 32 municipalities, construction of 4-storey academic buildings in 21 schools and colleges, five bridges, construction of two monuments, three markets and six buildings, construction of seven box culverts and 70-km roads, construction a six-storey building for Mymensingh District Social Service Office, construction of two Ansar barracks, development of 10-km roads and 3.5-km RCC drain in Mymensingh city, installation of lampposts and garden lights in Mymensingh city, construction of embankment to protect Charalgi union of Gafargaon from erosion caused by the Brahmaputra river, construction of Mymensingh Sadar Upazila Parishad Complex Bhaban, construction of new Mymensingh Sadar Upazila Parishad Hospital, development of Gorbakura-Karaitli land port at Haluaghat, construction of Sheikh Kalam Indoor Stadium, Institute of Health Technology, construction of the main building of District Lawyers Association (Shaheed Advocate Nazrul Islam Bhaban) and three Upazila Health Complexes in three upazilas.
Among the development works whose foundation stones were laid include development of the road and drainage network of Mymensingh, development of electricity distribution system development project in Mymensingh zone, construction of three bridges, construction of hostel for working women in Fulbaria of Mymensingh, construction of Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall, Sheikh Rehana Hall and Rosy Jamal Hall in Bangladesh Agricultural University, construction of 500-bed five-storey student hostel in Government Ananda Mohan College, construction of 7 regional offices for Bangladesh Public Service Commission, construction of a four-story office and dormitory building for additional director of the agricultural extension department in the greater Mymensingh region and development of roads and drainage network in Mymensingh city.
Read more: PM inaugurates 26 dev projects worth Tk 1,333 cr in Rajshahi
How Mymensingh has been transformed by 14 years of development under AL
The outlook of Mymensingh has radically changed with massive development works implemented in the last 14 years under consecutive Awami League governments.
Development is visible in all sectors, including agriculture, education, health and infrastructure, thanks to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visionary leadership.
Sheikh Hasina is set to visit Mymensingh after a five year gap, to address a public rally at the city's Circuit House ground on Saturday.
During the rally the premier will open and lay foundation stones of a total of 103 development projects, involving a total estimated cost of almost Tk 3500 crore dedicated to Mymensingh.
Seventy-three of these are newly completed development works, implemented at a cost of Tk 570 crore.
She will also lay the foundation stones of 30 development works involving a further Tk 2,762 crore.
"The development that Mymensingh witnessed is incomparable," Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader told reporters while visiting the rally's venue on Friday evening.
"You would see development everywhere in Mymensingh. You will see illuminated Mymensingh," he said.
Read more: PM offers land for Saudi investors in Bangladesh's economic zone
About the rally, Obaidul predicted it would be the largest public rally in the history of Mymensingh.
Mymensingh city wore a festive look to welcome the Prime Minister on Saturday. The entire Mymensingh is covered with posters, banners and festoons and Sheikh Hasina's portraits.
The common people of Mymensingh are now enjoying the benefits of all the unprecedented development.
City Awami League General Secretary Mohit ur Rahman Shanto said Mymensingh never witnessed such massive development during the tenure of any government in the past.
City Awami League President and Mymensingh City Mayor Ikramul Haque Titu said the people of Mymensingh had a long-standing demand to upgrade Mymensingh Medical College Hospital from 500-bed hospital to 1000-bed one.
Teb Prime Minister has increased the beds of Mymensingh Medical College Hospital from 500 to 1000 beds in 2013.
People of greater Mymensingh, including Sherpur, Jamalpur, Tangail, Netrakona and Kishoreganj, along with North Bengal, Sunamganj, Narsingdi and Gazipur are now enjoying the treatment and medical services from Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, he said.Local people demanded establishment of an education board and dredging of the old Brahmaputra river, along with establishment of Mymensingh into a division and city corporation, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fulfilled all demands, said the local AL leaders.
Former General Secretary of Mymensingh District Awami League veteran freedom fighter Nazim Uddin Ahmed said Sheikh Hasina has fulfilled all the demands of the people of Mymensingh.
AL President Sheikh Hasina is coming to Mymensingh after five years. She will address a public meeting to be organized by Awami League at Circuit House ground in the afternoon.
The development works that would be opened on Saturday include 4-storey academic buildings in 21 schools and colleges, sanitation projects in 32 municipalities, Sheikh Kamal indoor stadium, and five bridges.
Among the development works whose foundation stones will be laid include development of the road and drainage network of Mymensingh, and the construction of 7 regional offices for Bangladesh Public Service Commission among others.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last visited Mymensingh on November 2, 2018.
11 people killed in road crashes in 5 dists
Eleven people were killed and 11 others injured in a number of road crashes in Rajshahi, Rangpur, Pabna, Chandpur and Mymensingh district on Monday and Tuesday.
In Rajshahi, three people were killed when a truck rammed a motorbike at Dangerhat in Paba upazila of Rajshahi district on Tuesday.
The deceased were identified as Shaheen Ali, 40, son of Abu Syed, Sohagh Ali, 28, son of Md Babul and Rakib Ali, 26, son of Anwar Hossain of Bahrampur area.
Ismail Hossain, officer-in-charge of Kornahar Police Station, said the accident occurred around 4 pm when the iron-rod laden truck hit the motorbike when it reached in front of Dangerhat School, leaving Shaheen and Sohagh dead on the spot and injured one.
Read more: Road accidents leave 10 dead in 6 districts
The injured was taken to Rajshahi Medical College and Hospital where the doctors declared Rakib dead.
Police seized the truck.
In Rangpur, three people were dead and at least 10 were injured in a head-on collision between two buses in Rangpur's Taraganj upazila this morning.
The identities of the deceased could not be known immediately.
The accident occurred in Doalipara area of the Rangpur-Dinajpur highway around 7:45 am, said Mostafizur Rahman, officer-in-charge (OC) of Taraganj police station.
According to the police, a Rangpur-bound bus of Tripti Paribahan from Saidpur collided head-on with another bus, of Saimon Exclusive Paribahan, coming from the opposite direction in Doalipara area -- leaving two dead on the spot and 10 injured. "Another person died at the hospital while undergoing treatment there," the OC said.
The bodies have been kept in the hospital morgue for autopsies, added the OC.
In Chandpur, a teacher and a student of a local madrasha were killed when a bus hit a motorbike at Rasulpur in Kachua upazila in the afternoon.
The deceased were identified as Zahid Hossain, 25, son of Abdur Razzak of Shahrasti upazila and jabber Hossain, 13, son of Sahabuddin of Laksham upazila.
The accident occurred around 2 pm when the bus of ‘Bogdad Paribahan’ from Chandpur hit the motorbike, leaving them injured, said Ibrahim Khalil, officer-in-charge of Kachua Police Station.
They died while taking to upazila health complex.
Vehicular movement remained suspended for some time following the accident.
In Pabna, two students were killed and another one was injured when a motorbike skidded off the road on Madhupur-Sathia road at Boalmari intersection in Sathia upazila on Monday midnight.
The deceased were identified as Rubel Hossain, 22, a student of Pabna government Edward College and son of Nazrul Islam and Juboraz, 16, an SSC examinee and son of Yunus Ali of the upazila.
Rafiqul Islam, officer-in-charge of Sathia Police Station, said the accident took place at 12 am when the motorbike carrying trio fell on the road as its driver lost control over steering, leaving them injured.
Later, they were taken to Pabna General Hospital where the doctors declared two of them dead.
The duo met the tragedy while returning home from a trade fair.
Read more: Road accidents leave 4 dead in 2 districts
In Mymensingh, Apu Mia, 20, a helper of a truck driver and son of Abdur Rahman of Kishoreganj district, was killed when the sand-laden truck overturned at Dighirpar in Gafargaon upazila of Mymensingh district in the morning, said Rasheduzzaman Khan, officer-in-charge of Pagla Police Station.