United News of Bangladesh

For nearly eight to ten months every year, crossing a barely 20 metres stretch of road becomes an ordeal for thousands of people in Kumarkhali upazila of Kushtia. Submerged under knee-deep water for most of the year, the road beneath a British-era railway tunnel in Hatisako area has become a symbol of chronic neglect, disrupting daily life for nearly 100,000 residents of Koya and Nandalalpur unions. What was once a vital transport link has gradually turned into a bottleneck, with poor drainage and unplanned land filling trapping rainwater for months at a time. A Daily Struggle Every monsoon, the road disappears beneath stagnant water. Schoolchildren roll up their uniforms and carry their bags over their heads. Office-goers wade through the murky water before beginning their workday. Easy-bikes and vans frequently break down midway, leaving passengers stranded. A recent visit to the area found knee-deep water covering both approaches to the tunnel, forcing commuters to navigate the flooded road on foot or risk damaging their vehicles. For many residents, this is not an occasional inconvenience but a reality they have endured for years. Only Road to the Upazila According to Koya Union Parishad Chairman Md Ali Hossain, the road serves as the only direct route to the upazila headquarters for around 70,000 people in his union. "The water has nowhere to go because there is no drainage system," he said. He explained that raising the road level is not a practical solution, as vehicles would then struggle to pass through the low-clearance railway tunnel. "What was built during the British period has now become a source of suffering in modern times," he said, alleging that repeated appeals to the authorities have produced little progress. How the Problem Began Residents said the railway tunnel was constructed during British rule to maintain communication across the area. For decades, rainwater naturally drained through surrounding lowlands into nearby wetlands. But over the last ten years, many of those open spaces have been filled to build houses, shops and other structures. With the natural drainage channels blocked and no engineered drainage system in place, rainwater now accumulates around the tunnel and remains there for months. By the time the stagnant water begins to recede, another rainy season often arrives. Vehicles Damaged, Livelihoods Affected The prolonged waterlogging has also taken a financial toll on transport operators. Easy-bike driver Raja Ali said the flooded road frequently damages vehicle batteries and motors. "The battery gets short-circuited and the motor is damaged. I spend between Tk 5,000 and Tk 7,000 every month on repairs," he said. Many drivers avoid the route altogether, forcing passengers to walk through the flooded section or take longer alternative roads. Students Pay the Price For schoolchildren, the flooded road has become a barrier to education. Umme Maria, a ninth-grade student at Alauddin Nagar Secondary School, said she used to cycle to school before the road became regularly submerged. "One day I fell because the damaged road was hidden beneath the water. Now I walk or travel by van," she said. Another student, seventh-grader Huzaifa Rahman, said he has no choice but to walk through the water every day. "My books, notebooks and school uniform often get wet. Sometimes I cannot even attend classes. It is affecting my studies," he said.

Every monsoon, the swollen Padma River once again cuts off thousands of families living in the char areas of Daulatpur upazila from the mainland, turning even the most basic needs – medical care, education and access to markets – into daily challenges. More than five decades after Bangladesh's independence, residents of Ramkrishnopurup and Chilmary unions along the Padma's char areas say the absence of just two bridges has left nearly 1,00,000 people largely isolated despite gradual improvements in schools, electricity and other public facilities. For years, locals have been demanding the construction of bridges at Bhagjot and Sukharghat, saying the missing links have become the biggest obstacle to the region's development. During the rainy season, boats remain the only means of crossing the river. In the dry months, residents travel across miles of sandy riverbeds by van, trolley, motorcycle or even horse cart before reaching paved roads on the mainland.

A snake charmer has been hospitalised after being bitten by a cobra while attempting to rescue the reptile from a house in Kushtia's Bheramara upazila. The incident occurred in Baggari Para around 10:00pm on Friday. The injured, Imran Hossain, 38, son of Mosharraf Hossain of Hirimadia Gorosthan Para in Bheramara, is undergoing treatment at Kushtia General Hospital. Imran, who identifies himself as a snake charmer and traditional healer, regularly posts videos on social media showing snake-catching operations. According to locals, he was called to the house of Amirul Islam after family members spotted a snake on the premises. While digging in the yard, he recovered several baby snakes before pulling out an adult cobra from its hole. As he attempted to capture it, the snake bit him just above the knee. Local residents rushed him to Kushtia General Hospital. Speaking from his hospital bed, Imran said the incident occurred a day after Amirul Islam's only son, 22-year-old Samrat, died from a snakebite. "After Samrat's death, the family saw another snake in the yard on Friday and called me. I first rescued three baby snakes and then pulled out a large cobra from a hole. About a minute and a half after catching it, I was bitten above my knee due to a moment of carelessness," he said. The snake charmer added that local youths immediately took him to the hospital and that he was now recovering. Following the incident, a photograph of Imran's visiting card circulated on social media. The card describes him as a snake charmer offering snake-catching and snakebite treatment services, while also claiming to cure various complex and "hidden" diseases. Resident Medical Officer of Kushtia General Hospital Dr Iqbal Hasan said Imran was given the necessary treatment, including anti-venom, immediately after being admitted. "He has been kept under close observation. His condition has improved and he is now out of danger," the physician said.

Three schoolboys who went missing from Kumarkhali upazila in Kushtia were rescued from Khoksa upazila after two days on Friday night. The rescued boys are  Samiul Alim Shaon 13, Shamim, 12 and Talha, 12, students of Durgapur Secondary School in Bujruk Durgapur village in Kumarkhali upazila. A general diary was lodged with Kumarkhali Police Station when the three friends went missing on May 14 and the missing incident was spread on social media, said police. Police said a group of youths returning from Rajbari’s Kalukhali by train noticed the three boys on ‘Madhumati Express’ train from Dhaka to Khulna while passing through the Shapakhia area of Khoksa upazila. They recognised the children from viral social media photos. The youths immediately informed the boys’ families and later helped them get off at Khoksa Railway Station. On information, Kumarkhali Police rushed to the spot and rescued the teenagers, said Officer-in-Charge of Kumarkhali Police Station, Jamal Uddin. The boys had left home out of curiosity, said the OC.

Bus workers enforced an indefinite strike on short-distance routes in Kushtia on Friday morning to press home a two-point demand, causing suffering for passengers. Bus services on all short-distance routes from the district remained suspended since 5:00am, forcing passengers to rely on alternative modes of transport and pay higher fares to reach their destinations. Services on the Kushtia-Meherpur and Kushtia-Pragpur routes were halted. Buses on several other routes, including Kushtia-Khulna-Jashore, Kushtia-Rajbari, Kushtia-Barishal, Kushtia-Rajshahi and Kushtia-Pabna-Sirajganj, also remained off the road. However, long-distance buses to Dhaka are operating as usual. Earlier, Kushtia District Motor Workers Union announced the strike on Thursday evening. Its President Mahabul Haque said both bus and minibus owners’ and workers’ associations operate vehicles on the Kushtia-Khulna-Jashore route, but workers’ association was not receiving certain facilities. He said meetings were held with the owners’ group over two demands and an ultimatum was issued to meet them by April 15. The demands are ensuring equal facilities for workers as enjoyed by owners in the transport sector and allowing a bus operated under the workers’ association to run on the Kushtia-Khulna route. As the demands went unheeded, bus and minibus operations were halted indefinitely from Friday morning, Mahabul said, adding that workers of buses from the owners’ association also joined them in the strike. Around 10:30am, Kushtia District Bus-Minibus Owners’ Group General Secretary Rafiqul Islam said transport workers had placed the demands one week ago. He said as the demands were not met, bus operations on all routes were suspended from Friday morning.

The family of self-proclaimed ‘Pir’ Abdur Rahman, also known as Shamim Reza and Jahangir, who was killed in a mob attack at his shrine in Daulatpur upazila of Kushtia, expressed unwillingness to file a case. “We, all family members, have decided not to file a case,” Shamim’s elder brother, retired school teacher Fazlur Rahman, said on Monday morning. “I am old. I cannot afford to deal with these matters,” he added. “After the burial on Sunday afternoon, the family members sat together at night. Police officers were also present. They repeatedly asked us to file a case but we have decided not to proceed,” said Fazlur Rahman. Earlier on Sunday night, Daulatpur Police Station Officer-in-Charge Arifur Rahman said they were waiting for the victim’s family to file a case. When asked again on Monday morning, OC Arifur Rahman said, “I have not heard that they will not file a case. They might come today.” Abdur Rahman, 65, was beaten and hacked to death on Saturday afternoon at a site known as “Shamim Baba’s Darbar Sharif” in Philipnagar Union. According to locals, an old video from 2023 resurfaced, leading to allegations of blasphemy and triggering the attack. Three of his followers—Zubayer, Mohon Ali, and Jamirun Nesa—were also injured in the incident and received treatment at a local hospital.

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members seized Indian LSD during a drive on a Dhaka-bound train in Kushtia, officials said on Tuesday. According to a BGB press release, tipped off, a special patrol team conducted a drive at Mirpur Railway Station around 8:30pm on Monday. During the operation, the team searched a compartment of Madhumati Express train and recovered 12 bottles of LSD worth around Tk 6.24 crore in an abandoned condition. In a separate drive early Tuesday, BGB personnel seized a large quantity of Indian Dexamethasone tablets, Phensedyl syrup and leaf cigarettes wroth Tk 2.80 lakh from Munshiganj field and Pragpur river ghat.

The annual Lalon festival at Chheuriya Akhrabari in Kumarakhali upazila of Kushtia district, traditionally held over three days on the occasion of Dol Purnima, will be observed for one day this year due to Ramadan. Every year, the Akhrabari premises fill with devotees, Bauls and spiritual leaders, with songs and a rural fair adding to the festive atmosphere. This year, however, there will be no cultural programs or fair. With the support of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and the district administration, the observance will be limited to discussion sessions and hospitality for Baul singers, concluding at noon on Tuesday, said acting caretaker of the Akhrabari, Mashiur Rahman. Around 10–12 lakh people attend Lalon Fest 2025 in Kushtia: Farooki Traditional spiritual gatherings will follow established rituals. Several days ahead of the festival, Baul singers and Lalon devotees have already started arriving at the Akhrabari. Groups are taking seats, exchanging thoughts and singing Lalon’s songs, creating a vibrant atmosphere. Observers visiting on Saturday afternoon noted the fervent participation of devotees. Lalon’s philosophy of inclusion, harmony, compassion, humanity transcends national borders: Pranay Verma Fakir Fahim, a visitor from Dhaka, said, “We look forward to these days all year. During the Dol festival, Bauls and spiritual leaders from home and abroad come here and share their thoughts.” Mizanur Rahman, an American expatriate attending for the first time, said, “I have been listening to Lalon’s songs since childhood. Here, I could experience their essence. Fakir Lalon preached love for humanity beyond caste, creed, or religion.” Sadhu Tofazzel Hossain from Manikganj said he had arrived a few days early, drawn by Lalon’s message of love and compassion. He noted that the festival would be smaller this year due to Ramadan. Shanto Fakir from Chuadanga said the festival coincides with a sacred day during Dol Purnima, when Lalon Fakir used to gather disciples and devotees for spiritual and intellectual discourse. “Being here nurtures self-purification and enhances mental and theoretical knowledge,” he added. Mashiur Rahman said the festivities would begin on Monday evening with Gurukarya, followed by Rakhial service, midnight Adhibash, Balya service at dawn on Tuesday and conclude with Purna service at noon. The observance would be limited this year and public turnout might be lower due to Ramadan, he added. Upazila Nirbahi Officer Farzana Akhtar said CCTV cameras have been installed around the shrine for security and sufficient police and Ansar personnel will be deployed. Village police, volunteer teams and medical staff have also been organized to assist visiting Bauls, devotees, and spectators.

Seventeen of the 25 candidates who contested the national election from parliamentary constituencies in Kushtia have got their election deposits forfeited, according to official figures. Under rules set by the Election Commission, a candidate loses their deposit if they fail to secure at least one-eighth — or 12.5% — of the total votes cast in their constituency. A total of 25 candidates, including one independent and nominees from 14 political parties, took part in the election across Kushtia’s four seats. The only female contender stood under the banner of the Bangladesh Republican Party. The results highlight the strong showing of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami in the district, with the party winning three of the four constituencies. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secured the remaining seat. Kushtia-1 In Kushtia-1, where 282,543 votes were cast, BNP candidate Reza Ahmed defeated Jamaat’s Belal Uddin. Candidates who failed to reach the required threshold included JSD’s Md. Gias Uddin (star symbol), who received 203 votes; Bangladesh Islami Front’s Md. Badiruzzaman (candle symbol) with 241 votes; Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Md. Aminul Islam (fan symbol) with 4,063 votes; independent candidate Md. Nuruzzaman Hablu Molla (cycle symbol) with 17,864 votes; Ganoadhikar Parishad’s Md. Shahabul Islam (truck symbol) with 613 votes; and JP’s Md. Shahriar Jamil (plough symbol) with 1,094 votes. Kushtia-2 A total of 348,911 votes were cast in Kushtia-2. Jamaat candidate Md. Abdul Gafur defeated BNP’s Ragib Rauf Chowdhury. Three candidates forfeited their deposits: Bangladesh Communist Party’s Nur Uddin Ahmed (spade symbol), who secured 80 votes; Islami Front Bangladesh’s Md. Babul Akter (chair symbol) with 1,123 votes; and Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Md. Ali (fan symbol) with 3,887 votes. Kushtia-3 In Kushtia-3, Mufti Amir Hamza won the seat, defeating BNP’s Engineer Md. Zakir Hossain Sarker. Of the 321,323 votes cast, four candidates failed to retain their deposits. They were BASAD’s Mir Nazmul Islam (moy symbol) with 442 votes; Bangladesh Republican Party’s Rumpa Khatun (elephant symbol) with 475 votes; Ganoadhikar Parishad’s Md. Shariful Islam (truck symbol) with 299 votes; and Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Md. Abdullah Akand (fan symbol) with 5,153 votes. Kushtia-4 In Kushtia-4, where 308,260 votes were cast, Jamaat’s Md. Afzal Hossain defeated BNP’s Syed Mehdi Ahmed Rumi. Among those forfeiting deposits were Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Anwar Khan (fan symbol) with 1,373 votes; Bangladesh Minority Jatiya Party’s Tarun Kumar Ghosh (rocket symbol) with 671 votes; Ganoforum’s Md. Abdul Hakim Miah (rising sun symbol) with 255 votes; and Bangladesh Labour Party’s Md. Shahidul Islam (pomegranate symbol) with 308 votes.

A medical student was found dead in a rented room of a seven-storey building in Housing E-Block area in Kushtia town on Sunday evening. The deceased is Samia Nijhum,  daughter of Md Abdus Salam of Chotp Shalikha area of Chatmohar upazila in Pabna district and a 4th year student of Kushtia Medical College. She used to live in the house near the medical college. She moved into the rented room near the college about two weeks ago. Caretaker of the house Riaz Uddin said Samia’s father, called in the evening to check on his daughter. When there was no response, a student from the neighbouring room accompanied him and knocked several times. On getting no reply, they tried to open the door with the family's permission and saw her hanging from the window. On information, police recovered the body. Youth commits suicide in Sunamganj after humiliation over installment Kushtia Medical College Principal Shahidul Islam said Samia was a good student and her MBBS course was expected to finish next year. Officer-in-Charge of Kushtia Model Police Station Md. Kabir Hossain Matubbar investigation in underway.