Chattogram
Police constable suspended over beating street child in CTG
Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) suspended a police constable for allegedly beating up a street child for stealing a gas lighter on Sunday (June 11, 2023).
The suspended police was identified as Md Shawkat, a constable of CMP traffic division.
The incident took place around 11 am on Sunday (June 11) at a shop near the police box in Tiger Pass area under Kotwali police station of the city.
Read: 89 sued over police-Jubo Dal activists clash in Cumilla
Chattogram Metropolitan Police Commissioner Krishna Pada Roy came to know about the incident after a 30-second video footage of the incident went viral on social media. Later, the CMP commissioner ordered the suspension of the policeman.
Earlier, in the video that went viral on social media, that constable Shawkat was seen entering the shop and slapping the child randomly. At that time, he had a cigarette in his mouth.
Read: 10 held over police-Jubo Dal activists clash in Cumilla
Journalist Abu Sayed Mohammad Tamanna told UNB, "I saw a teenager being beaten up by a policeman for stealing a gas light. If I hadn't protested, he would have killed the boy. The police should be humane.”
Mother, son among 3 burned to death in Ctg fire
Three people including a woman and her minor son were burned to death and another was critically injured in a fire at a house in Syedpara area of Chattogram port city on Sunday (May 28, 2023).
The deceased are Nur Nahar Begum, 30, her one-year-old son Maruf, and neighbour Md Imam Uddin, 23. Details about them could not be known immediately.
They succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment at the Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit of Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) at noon, Nurul Alam Ashiq, assistant sub inspector at the hospital police outpost, said.
Read more: Fire at building in capital’s Adabar under control
Condition of burned three-year-old Firiya, daughter of Nur Nahar, was stated to be critical, he said.
Ferdous Jahan, officer-in-charge of Bayezid Bostami police station, said the fire originated from a mosquito coil at the shanty of one Tota Miah and it engulfed two other adjacent shanties within a few minutes around 4:30am.
On information, police rushed to the spot and rescued four people and sent them to the hospital, he said.
Read more: Fire in building on SUST campus under control
Chittro Ranjan, chief leader of Agrabad Fire Station, said on information two firefighting units rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control later.
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
Ctg port, airport to fully operate from today
As the effects of Cyclone Mocha have passed, regular flights are starting at Chattogram Shah Amanat International Airport this morning (May 15, 2023).
Director of the Airport, Group Captain Taslim Ahmed, said regular flights will depart from Shah Amanat International Airport from today.
Earlier, due to inclement weather caused by Cyclone Mocha, the authority suspended flights at Shah Amanat International Airport from 6 am on May 13 after Bangladesh Meteorological Department issued the No. 8 disaster signal in Chattogram.
Read More: Scanners to be installed soon at Ctg port gates: State Minister
Meanwhile, all activities of Chattogram port were suspended since May 12 night due to fear of damage from Cyclone Mocha. Ships were being brought back to the jetty and outer anchor early today.
The Meteorological Department has asked Chattogram port to hoist local cautionary signal number 3 after the impact of Cyclone Mocha has passed. After the situation became normal, the Chittagong Port Authority decided to withdraw its alert-4 and normalise the port operations.
The port will be fully operational from this morning, said Chattogram Port Authority Secretary Md. Omar Farouk.
Read More: Bay Terminal Project: Deal signed with 2 South Korean companies to prepare final design
Cyclone Mocha: Rickshawpuller burned to death as electric wire falls on him in Ctg
A 38-year-old rickshaw puller, who sustained burn injuries after being electrocuted by a live electric wire that was blown onto him by heavy winds caused by the cyclonic storm Mocha, died at Chattogram Medical College and Hospital on Sunday.
The deceased was identified as Md Zahid, hailing from Lalmonirhat district.
Quoting witnesses Md Akteruzzaman, senior station officer of Bayezid Fire Service and Civil Defence, said a live electric wire suddenly fell on him while he was sitting on his rickshaw during heavy wind at the Oxygen intersection around 9:30 am.
Fire erupted from the wire and he sustained burn injuries during the incident.
Later, he was taken to Chattogram Medical College and Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries at 3:30 pm, said sub-inspector Nurul Alam Ashek, in-charge of the Chattogram Medical College Hospital.
Bangladesh, Myanmar brace as Cyclone Mocha makes landfall
Bangladesh and Myanmar braced Sunday as an extremely severe cyclone started to hit coastal areas and authorities urged thousands of people in both countries to seek shelter.
The outermost band of Cyclone Mocha reached the coast of Myanmar's Rakhine state on Sunday morning, and by afternoon the center of the storm was expected to make landfall near Sittwe township, which was under the highest weather alert, Myanmar’s Meteorological Department said Sunday.
More than 4,000 of Sittwe's 300,000 residents have been evacuated to other cities since Friday and more than 20,000 people are sheltering in sturdy buildings such as monasteries, pagodas and schools located on the city's highlands, said Tin Nyein Oo, who is helping people in shelters in Sittwe.
Read More: Bangladesh, Myanmar brace as Cyclone Mocha makes landfall
Many local residents live in areas more than 3 meters above sea level, places where residents believe the storm surge cannot reach, he added.
Strong winds of 40 to 48 kilometers per hour (25 to 40 miles per hour) were blowing in the city, Tin Nyein Oo said on Sunday morning.
“The storm has not yet entered, so we don’t have much difficulty. However, there are too many people in the shelters and not enough toilets,” he added.
Read More: Satkhira sees no effects of Cyclone Mocha
Lin Lin, the chairman of a local charitable foundation, said earlier there was not enough food in the shelters in Sittwe after more people arrived than expected.
In Bangladesh, weather in most areas remained sunny and humid on Sunday morning.
U.N. agencies and aid workers in Bangladesh prepositioned tons of dry food and dozens of ambulances with mobile medical teams in sprawling refugee camps with more than 1 million Rohingya who fled persecution in Myanmar.
Read More: Cyclone Mocha starts crossing Cox’s Bazar with speed of up to 215 kmph: BMD
Bangladesh issued the highest danger signal for Cox’s Bazar, home to the camps. The Bangladesh Meteorological Department warned the cyclone could cause severe damage to lives and property in eight coastal districts.
No heavy rainfall had been reported in Cox's Bazar as of Sunday morning.
Bangladesh, with more than 160 million people, has prepared more than 1,500 cyclone shelters. The navy said it's keeping ready 21 ships, maritime patrol aircraft and helicopters for rescue and relief operations.
Read More: Cyclone Mocha: Academic activities at Khulna University, Agricultural University suspended
Authorities in Bangladesh said heavy rains from the cyclone could trigger landslides in Chattogram and Cox's Bazar and three other hilly districts — Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachhari.
In May 2008, Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar with a storm surge that devastated populated areas around the Irrawaddy River Delta. At least 138,000 people died and tens of thousands of homes and other buildings were washed away.
Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune city, said cyclones in the Bay of Bengal are becoming more intense more quickly, in part because of climate change.
Read More: This is how Cyclone Mocha was named, plus all you need to know
Climate scientists say cyclones can now retain their energy for many days. Cyclone Amphan in eastern India in 2020 continued to travel over land as a strong cyclone and caused extensive devastation.
“As long as oceans are warm and winds are favorable, cyclones will retain their intensity for a longer period,” Koll said.
Cyclones are among the most devastating natural disasters in the world, especially if they affect densely populated coastal regions in South Asia.
Read More: Cyclone Mocha: BTRC opens control room
Cyclone Mocha: BTRC forms emergency teams for uninterrupted telco
Cyclone Mocha is likely to hit the coastal areas of Bangladesh, especially Chattogram, Teknaf and Cox's Bazar, on Sunday (May 14, 2023).
The Department of Posts and Telecommunications has already instructed all the subordinate agencies, including the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, to complete necessary preparations to ensure that all types of telecommunications services continue during the disaster and post-disaster period to deal with the cyclone, according to a press release.
The BTRC has also directed all the licensees concerned and all telecom operators providing telecommunication services to form emergency response teams and set up control rooms on Saturday.
Read More: This is how Cyclone Mocha was named, plus all you need to know
A 10-member emergency response team has been formed by the BTRC. The team will take measures in coordination with the telecom operators to ensure uninterrupted service, including round-the-clock monitoring of the telecommunications service system in the cyclone-affected areas, and will continue close contact with the concerned district and upazila administrations.
Besides, the BTRC has also started a control room with three members. The two control room numbers are 01552202854 and 01552202886.
The BTRC control room is coordinating between the monitoring team formed by the BTRC and how the licensees working in the coastal areas are working to deal with the Mocha. Besides, mobile operators, NTTNs, ISPs and other licensed officials concerned are taking necessary measures to inform the control room if they face any problem in taking action in the coastal areas, said the release.
Read More: Cyclone Mocha may cross Cox’s Bazar between 9am and 3pm today, no possibility of turning into super cyclonic storm: BMD
In view of the BTRC directive, the telecom operators have set up control rooms in their respective offices to ensure uninterrupted telecommunication services in the coastal areas and surrounding areas and adequate batteries, diesel generators, portable generators and additional vehicles have been arranged to travel during the disaster to ensure power backup to keep their network system active.
Mobile operator Grameenphone has taken the initiative to provide special packages to provide free telecommunication services to the people of cyclone-affected areas. Grameenphone's emergency contact numbers are 01711505368, 0171108110101, 01711081804.
Banglalink has said that special measures will be taken to make it easier to recharge mobile phones along with text messages and social media campaigns to make people aware of the cyclone situation. Banglalink's emergency contact numbers are 0196244565, 01911310795, 01962424706.
Read More: Cyclone Mocha starts crossing Cox’s Bazar with speed of up to 215 kmph: BMD
Robi customers will get emergency balance, minutes and internet by dialing *8# at any time. Robi's hotline number is 0181718368, 01819210350
Teletalk has taken steps to ensure commercial power supply along with adequate fuel supply by removing mechanical defects of all generators to ensure power supply at core site and hub site. Besides, a response team has been formed and a control room has been set up. Emergency Response Team Numbers- 01550155045, 015505155034, 0155015053. Control Room Number-02333315900, 0155515211.
Bangladesh Telecommunication Company Limited (BTCL) has opened a control room to deal with the problem. The contact number of the control room is 0248317788.
Read More: Cyclone Preparedness: Safety measures to follow before, during and after disaster
The emergency contact number of the tower construction company edotco-, 01871006730. The summit's emergency contact number is 01791040385, 01711080484. Kirtankhola's emergency contact number is 01401159572 (Chattogram and Cox's Bazar) 01713479912 (Barisal). Frontier's Emergency Contact Number- 01810169540, 01810169548.
ISPs, NTTNs and other telecom operators have taken steps and are constantly trying to keep their networks active in the areas likely to hit the cyclone during the disaster.
Mocha shows no sign of weakening; 190-210 kph winds near centre in BMD's midnight update
Cyclone Mocha, located over east central Bay and adjoining areas, kept moving north-northeastwards and kept intensifying between the Bangladesh Meteorological Department or BMD’s evening and midnight updates on Saturday.
The weather system was located at 490 km south-southwest of Chattogram port, 410 km south-southwest of Cox's Bazar port, 530 km south of Mongla port and 460 km south of Payra port, said the BMD in its special update issued at 12am Saturday night (0000 hrs Sunday).
In BMD’s previous update at 6pm Saturday, the storm was located 605 km south-southwest of Chattogram port, 525 km south-southwest of Cox's Bazar port, 625 km south of Mongla port and 565 km south of Payra port.
Read More: Great danger signal No 10 issued for Cox’s Bazar maritime port as cyclone Mocha approaches
It is likely to intensify further, keep moving in a north-northeasterly direction and likely cross the Cox's Bazar-north Myanmar coast anytime between 9am to 3pm on Sunday, May 14 (tomorrow) it said. In this case, BMD’s midnight update did shorten the window for it to make landfall, as earlier it had said 9am-6p Sunday in the evening update.
It also said the coastal districts of Chattogram and Barishal divisions had started experiencing the peripheral effects of the very severe cyclonic storm in the form of rain.
BMD said the maximum sustained wind speed near the storm's centre was about 190 kph rising to 210 kph in gusts/squalls. This was up from 180-200 kph in the evening update, meaning the storm was still gathering strength.
Read More: Heavy rains may trigger landslides in Cox’s Bazar, Chattogram, 3 hill districts
There were some rumours that the system had already turned into a ‘super cyclone’, but an Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) update pointed out that the system is called a super cyclone when the maximum sustained speed crosses 221 km per hour - which is not yet the case, although it may still happen overnight.
An IMD official told Kolkata-based The Telegraph that “whether it technically crosses the super cyclone threshold or not, the devastation will be significant.”
BMD in its update said the coastal districts of Cox's Bazar and Chittagong and the nearby islands and low-lying Char areas face tidal surges 8 to 12 feet above the normal tide.
Read More: All preparations taken to face cyclone Mocha: PM Hasina
Maritime ports of Cox's Bazar has been advised to keep hoisted great danger signal no. 10. Maritime ports of Chattogram and Payra have been advised to keep hoisted great danger signal no. 8, said the report.
The low-lying areas of the coastal districts of Feni, Noakhali. Laxmipur, Chandpur. Bhola and their offshore islands and chars are likely to be inundated by the wind driven tidal surges 05-07 feet above normal astronomical tide.
Maritime port of Mongla has been advised to keep hoisted local warning signal no 4. The coastal district of Cox's Bazar and its offshore islands and chars will come under great danger signal 10, it also said.
Read More: This is how Cyclone Mocha was named, plus all you need to know
Chattogram, Sylhet and Barishal divisions are likely to experience heavy (44-88 mm) to very heavy rainfall (89 mm and above). Due to the very heavy rainfall, landslides may occur at places over the hilly regions of Cox's Bazar, Bandarban, Rangamati, Khagrachari and Chattogram.
All fishing boats and trawlers over north bay have been advised to remain in shelter till further notice, the bulletin also said.
Heavy rains may trigger landslides in Cox’s Bazar, Chattogram, 3 hill districts
Bangladesh Meteorological Department has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in Chattogram, Sylhet and Barishal divisions that may trigger landslides in five districts.
According to a special bulletin of Met office, Chattogram, Sylhet and Barishal divisions are likely to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall as the very severe cyclonic storm Mocha over east central Bay and adjoining area moved North-Northeastwards over the same area.
Also Read: Met office predicts rain or thundershowers in Dhaka, other divisions
Due to very heavy rainfall landslides may occur in the hilly regions of Cox’s Bazar, Bandarbans, Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Chattogram, it said.
Cyclone Mocha intensifies further; May cross Cox’s Bazar-North Myanmar’s coast between 6 am to 6 pm on Sunday
Very severe cyclonic storm Mocha over east central Bay and adjoining area moved North-Northeastwards and intensified further over the same area.
It is likely to intensify further, move in a north-northwesterly direction and cross Cox’s Bazar-North Myanmar’s coast between 6 am to 6 pm on Sunday (May 14), according to Bangladesh Metrological Department.
The maritime port of Cox’s Bazar has been asked to hoist great danger signal 10, it said.
Besides, the maritime ports of Chattogram and Payra have been advised to hoist great danger signal 8 while maritime port of Mongla has been advised to hoist local warning signal 4.
Also read: Cyclone Mocha: Maritime ports asked to hoist great danger signal 8
It was centred about 605 km south-southwest of Chattogram port, 525 km south-southwest of Cox’s Bazar port, 625 km south of Mongla port and 565 km south of Payra port around 6 pm on Saturday, said the latest Met office bulletin.
Coastal regions of Chattogram and Barishal divisions will experience the peripheral effect of the very severe cyclonic storm by Saturday night, said the bulletin.
Maximum sustained wind speed within 74 km of the very severe cyclone centre is about 170 kph, rising to 190 kph, in gusts or squalls.
Sea will remain very rough near the storm centre.
Read More: Cox's Bazar Airport to be closed from Saturday 7am to Sunday 7pm
The coastal districts of Cox’s Bazar, Chattogram, Feni, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Chandpur, Bhola and their offshore islands and chars will come under great danger signal no 10.
Under the peripheral effect of very cyclone and steep pressure gradient, the low-lying areas of the coastal districts of Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram and their offshore island and chars are likely to be inundated by the wind driven surge height of 8-12 feet above normal astronomical tide.
The low-lying areas of the coastal districts of Feni, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Chandpur, Bhola and their offshore island and chars are likely to be inundated by the wind driven surge height of 5-7 feet above normal astronomical tide.
Under the effect of very severe cyclone, Chattogram, Sylhet and Barishal divisions are likely to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall. Due to very heavy rainfall landslide may occur a places over the hilly regions of Cox’s Bazar, Bandarbans, Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Chattogram.
All fishing boats and trawlers over North Bay have been advised to remain in shelter till further notice.