Feni
Bus-covered van collision kills 4 in Feni
Four people were killed and 15 others injured in a head-on collision between a bus and a covered van on Dhaka-Chattogram highway in Sadar upazila of Feni district on Wednesday.
Three of the deceased were identified as Nazmul, 35 of Cumilla district, Riazuddin of Laxmipur district and Forkan, 50 of Pirojpur district while the identity of another one could not be known immediately.
Mostafa Kamal, officer-in-charge of Mahipal Highway Police camp, said the accident occurred around 11 am when the Dhaka-bound ‘Unique Paribahan’ bus collided with the covered van coming from the opposite direction, leaving 19 people injured.
Also read: Father-son duo killed in Kushtia hit-and-run accident
Later, the injured people were taken to Feni General Hospital where doctors declared four of them dead.
Of the injured, four were taken to Chattogram Medical College and Hospital for better treatment.
Feni: Absconding death-row convict arrested 19 years after rape
A 45-year-old absconding death row convict in a case filed over raping a teenager in front of her mother was arrested Sunday in Feni, 19-years after the incident.
The convict is Jahangir Alam, son of Abul Kalam from Nawabpur union in Sonagazi upazila, said Md Khaled Hossain, Officer-in-Charge of Sonagazi model police station.
Jahangir Alam was sent to jail after being produced before a court on Monday, said the OC.
On information, police arrested Jahangir from Mizan Road area of Feni sadar around 8:30 pm on Sunday as he was returning from his legal counsel’s chamber.
On May 13, 2003, Jahangir and his gang abducted the victim and her mother, who were Hindus, from Sultanpur village in Nawabpur union. They gang raped the girl in front of the local health complex center.
Read: Writ petition filed seeking Tk 10 crore as compensation for Joj Mia
Next day, a case was filed against four people at Sonagazi police station following a complaint received from the victim's mother.
On July14 this year, Feni Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal pronounced death sentences for three of the accused in their absence and acquitted another from charges. Along with that each of the convicts were fined Tk 2 lakh.
The death row convicts are Abul Kashem, Md Latu and Jahangir Alam, all residents of Nawabpur union who remained absconding since the incident.
BNP claims 15 injured as AL attacks its rally in Feni
Some 15 leaders and activists of BNP were injured in sporadic attacks by the ruling Awami League (AL) activists on its scheduled programme in Dagonbhuiyan upazila of the district on Tuesday.
Besides, motorcade of the BNP central executive committee Vice Chairman Abdul Awal Mintoo came under attack on his way to attend the programme venue.
Sources said the upazila unit BNP organized a rally as part of the central programme in protest against the price hike of essential commodities and other issues at the upazila town on Tuesday.
Read: BNP vice-chairman Mintoo among 354 sued in Feni
Akbar Hossain, president of the unit BNP, alleged that at least five supporters were injured in the attack carried out by Chhatra League and Juba League men when the motorcade led by central leader Awal Mintoo was heading towards the programme venue in Government Iqbal Memorial College area around 4.30pm.
Moreover, some 10 more BNP men sustained injuries in the attacks by the AL men across the upazila since the morning, he claimed.
“AL-men took position in different points of the upazila town and barred our leaders and activists from attending the programme,” he said, adding that establishments belonging to their supporters also came under attack more than once in the last two days.
He condemned the attacks and demanded the perpetrators be brought to justice.
BNP vice-chairman Mintoo among 354 sued in Feni
Two cases have been filed against 354 people, including BNP Vice-Chairman Abdul Awal Mintoo, in connection with Monday's clash between BNP activists and police in Sonagazi upazila of Feni..
Sourajit Barua and Main Uddin, two sub-inspectors of Sonagazi Model Police Station filed the cases against 94 identified BNP leaders and its activists on Tuesday.
Ripon, 28, an activist of BNP detained earlier, was shown arrested in the two cases.
Read: Fakhrul breaks down witnessing the cries of missing BNP leaders' children
On Monday, at least ten people were injured in a clash between police and BNP activists when they were holding a rally at Sonagazi zero point in the upazila, as part of their central programme protesting the price hike of daily commodities including oil, gas, and fertilizers, as well as the murders of Swechchasebak Dal leader Abdur Rahim and unit Chhatra Dal president Noor-e Alam in Bhola.
Police fired 60 rounds of bullets during Monday's violent clash.
A chase and counter chase took place during the melee.
Khaled Hossain, officer-in-charge of Sonagazi Model Police Station, said police arrested an activist of Jubo Dal.
Prohibitory orders imposed over BNP & AL’s rallies in Feni
Prohibitory orders were imposed in Parshuram upazila of Feni on Tuesday in view of the Awami League's and opposition BNP's political programmes at the same place.
Parshuram Upazila Nirbahi Officer Syeda Shamsad Begum issued a notice in this regard on Monday night. The prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC will remain in force from Tuesday 8am to 5pm.
As part of its central committee’s campaign, the Parshuram unit of BNP announced a protest rally against the recent hike in prices of essentials at Parshuram Bazar and its adjoining areas from 9am on Tuesday, said Abdul Halim Manik, convener of upazila unit.
Read: AL-BNP clash leaves 20 injured in Feni
Meanwhile, the upazila unit of the Awami League and its student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League also announced a protest rally against the anarchy of BNP and Jamaat, said M Shafiqul Hossain Mahim joint general secretary of upazila's AL unit.
According to locals, from Monday evening, the two political parties had showdowns in the Parshuram Bazar area.
Saiful Islam, officer-in-charge of Parshuram police station, said that patrolling has been increased in the area after imposition of Section 144 of CrPC.
AL-BNP clash leaves 20 injured in Feni
At least 20 people were injured on Monday in a sporadic clash between activists of the ruling Awami League (AL) and opposition BNP during a protest rally of BNP in the trunk road area of the town on Friday.
The injured are undergoing treatment at a local hospital, said Nizam Uddin, officer-in-charge of Feni Model Police Station.
According to the locals, BNP leaders and activists hold a procession in the town protesting the price hike of daily commodities including oil, gas, fertilizers and the murder of Swechchasebak Dal leader Abdur Rahim and Chhatra Dal president Noor-e Alam in Bhola. When the procession reached the trunk road of the town, Chhatra League and Juba League activists attacked.
Read: AL won't let BNP set the stage for another August 15: Hasan
The clash ensued around 3:30 pm when BNP activists counterattacked.
Several chases and counter chases took place between the parties that left at least 20 people injured, added the OC.
Police fired 15 rounds of gunshots and rubber bullets to bring the situation under control.
Feni's death traps: 9 killed in 7 months at unmanned level crossings
Unauthorised level crossings have become a death trap in Feni district where nine people were killed in the past seven months, thanks to the dereliction of the authorities concerned.
Every year, a number of people die in rail accidents in Bangladesh, despite trains being considered one of the safest modes of travel. In 2021, some 147 people lost their lives in 123 railway accidents, according to the official data of Road Safety Foundation released in January, 2022.
Many people have died in train accidents in Bangladesh and a number of probe bodies were formed to look into the accident but the authorities concerned have only fallen on deaf ears.
Read 28-yr-old killed by train in Ctg
The recent Mirsarai train accident on Dhaka-Chattogram rail route is an example of the sheer negligence of the rail authorities.
Twelve tourists including students were killed when a speeding express train rammed into the microbus carrying the tourists at a level crossing in Mirsarai upazila on July 29.
The gateman was suspended after the accident, having been absent from his post at the time of the accident. But unmanned level crossings are not a rarity in Feni.
Read Mirsharai tragedy: Untimely deaths of indomitable youths, their dreams
Local sources said there are 12 unauthorised level crossings on the Dhaka-Chattogram route in Feni and the 23-km route stretching from Sashardi to Muhuriganj has 21 authorised level crossings.
Sub Assistant Engineer of Railway East, Riton Chakma, said people are stretching roads over the rail crossing as per their wish and most of the unapproved level crossings are in Muhuriganj - where there are six unmanned level crossings.
3 held over stealing oil from standing train in Feni
Detectives arrested three alleged members of a gang of thieves along with 1500 litres of diesel from Feni Sadar upazila in connection with stealing oil from a standing train on Feni Sharshdi station.The arrestees are Md Abdullah, 55, son of late Abdur Rahman of Dakshin Khan house in Sharshdi, Md Abu Taher,34, son of Farid Uddin of North Sharshdi and Abdur Rahim, 22, son of Dulal Hossain of Baduria village of Kutirhat in Sonagazi upazila.Tipped off, a team of District DB police conducted a drive at Fatehpur area in Sharshdi Union of Feni Sadar Upazila in the early hours of Saturday and arrested them, said Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun, Superintendent of Feni Police in a press briefing.During the drive, the law enforcers recovered 1500 liters of stolen diesel and seized a pickup.They are trying to arrest others accused, added the officer.A case was filed in this regard.
3 siblings killed in Feni septic tank blast
Three brothers were killed as a septic tank of an under-construction building exploded in Feni municipality Tuesday morning, said police.
The deceased were identified as Md Moniruzzaman, Nurul Islam Munshi and Md Abdur Rahman Munshi, of Bagerhat district. They were workers of the under-construction building.
The explosion occurred around 11 am as toxic gas accumulated inside the tank after its pipe got clogged in ‘Rahul Amin Bhaban’ in Nazir Road area of the town, leaving two brothers dead on spot, said Feni Fire Service Officer Purna Chandra Mutsuddi.
Read: Child dies falling into septic tank in Khulna
Another brother who sustained injuries was rushed to Feni General Hospital where he died.
The workers used to live in a tin-shed room on the septic tank of the building, he added.
“It is yet to be known whether any other person was injured. Rescue operations are still going on,” said the fire service official.
The bodies were kept at the hospital morgue for autopsy, said Nizam Uddin Ahmed, officer-in-charge (OC) of Feni Model police station.
Feni madrasa teacher held for sodomising minor student
Police arrested a madrasa teacher from Daganbhuiyan upazila in Feni for alleged sexual assault on an eight-year old male student on Thursday.
The teacher was identified as Mowlana Abdul Jalil,21, resident teacher of Kawmi and Hafezia Madrasa in Bhabanipur village in Rajapur union.
“The accused teacher has been on the crime for a long time. Recently the student refused to go back to the madrasa after the vacation ended. As his parents inquired, he informed them of the matter, “ said Joynal Abedin Mamun, Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Rajapur.
Md Hasan Imam, officer-in-charge of Daganbhuiyan police station said the teacher was arrested after a case was filed by the student’s father with police.
“The man used to threaten to beat the boy and swear by religion to force upon him. He has been jailed by the court and the boy has been sent to hospital for medical tests,” said the OC.