United News of Bangladesh

At least five people were killed and 10 others injured in a fierce clash between two groups over occupying Jaglar Char in Hatiya upazila of Noakhali district on Tuesday. Police said the incident occurred around 10:00 am in the char along the border of Wards 7 and 8 of Sukchar union. Three of the deceased have been identified as Samsuddin, his son Mobarak, and Alauddin, 40, son of Mohiuddin. Further details about the victims could not be gathered yet. Locals said several hundred landless families currently live on Jaglar Char, as nearly half of it is owned by the government while the rest is controlled by a private group. For years, an armed group allegedly led by Farid Member, also known as Farid Commander of Hironni union, and former chairman Mushfiq, had been controlling the char and its newly formed land. The group reportedly sold lands on the char to landless people at around Tk 20,000–30,000 per acre. On Tuesday morning, an armed group of 30-40 people, led by Kauya Kamal, Alauddin, and Nizam Member, attempted to seize control of the char. Sensing the move, supporters of Farid and Mushfiq, armed with lethal weapons, attacked their rivals, leaving four dead on the spot and several others injured. Of the injured, Alauddin was rushed to Noakhali General Hospital, where physicians declared him dead. Samsuddin, his son Mobarak, and two others from Farid and Mushfiq’s group were found dead at the scene. Officer-in-charge of Hatiya Police Md Saiful Alam said five people were killed in the clash and it took considerable time to control the situation due to the remote location of the char. Along with Coast Guard and Navy personnel, additional police forces have been deployed in the area to prevent further incidents, he added.

Three people were killed as a power tiller plunged into a ditch at North Bejugalia area of Hatiya upazila in Noakhali on Friday afternoon. The deceased were identified as Md Rubel, 25, son of  Mohammad Abdul Quddus'  of Ward 7 of Tamaruddin Union, Belal Hossain, 26, son of Abdul Malek  and Abdul Mannan's son Md. Delwar Hossain of the same ward. Confirming the matter, officer-in-charge (OC) of Hatiya Police Station Amir Hossain said the power tiller fell into a roadside ditch in Bejugalia area around 4pm, leaving its driver and his two assistants critically injured. Later, the trio was taken to Hatiya Upazila Health Complex where doctors declared them dead on arrival. The ill-fated power tiller has been taken into custody. The bodies have been handed over to their respective families after legal procedures, added the OC.  

The Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase in a virtual meeting on Wednesday (April 28, 2021) approved 5 proposals including one for setting up a 15 MW Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) fired power plant in Hatiya island of Noakhali and another for installing 40,000 solar home systems (SHS) in three hill districts.  Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presided over the online meeting. Read Finally, Payra power plant ready to operate at full blast According to a proposal of the Power Division, Desh Energy Ltd. will set up the 15 MW power plant at Hatiya Island from which the state-owned Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) will purchase electricity for over the next 15 years.  The levelised tariff of each kilowatt hour (each unit) of electricity was set at US Cents 12.1042 and they government has to spend Tk 1,396.15 crore in the next 15 years to purchase the power from the plant.  Read Rooftop solar power: 'Net metering can ensure cheaper electricity for garment factories The Parbatya Chattagram Unnayan Board (PCUB) under the Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Ministry will set up 40,000 solar home systems, each having 100 watt peak, and 2,500 community solar system, each having 320 watt peak, at the three hill districts.  The PCUB will purchase the entire solar home systems from BGB Welfare Trust at a cost of Tk 204.37 crore.      Also read: Poor people to get highest priority in next budget: Finance Minister  The committee approved a Railway Ministry’s proposal for  extending  the contract value of consultancy services for setting up of 3rd and 4th dualgauge rail line at Dhaka-Tongi Section with signaling and dualgauge double line at Tongi section by Tk 16.03 crore.  The Joint Venture of Aarvee Associates Architects Engineers & Consultants Pvt. Ltd., India and Ayesa Ingenieria Y Arquitectura, India have been engaged in the project as consultant.  Two separate proposals of the Public Works Department under the Ministry of Housing and Public Works received approval of the committee. Read Solar Home System: IDCOL partners seek govt intervention in loan write-off issue. The first proposal was awarding contract for the civil works lot No-1 of the Narshingdi District Jail Construction project to Noorani Construction Ltd., at a contract value of Tk 67.30 crore while the second proposal was awarding contract to Wahid Construction Ltd., for civil construction work of Expansion of National Institute of Neuroscience and Hospitals at Tk 124.31 crore. Meanwhile, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs in principle approved four proposals. The committee approved a proposal of the Secondary and Higher Education Division to award 36 segments of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University’s permanent campus construction project through direct procurement method (DPM) to different contractors.  Read Bangladesh's SHS provides clean energy for 20 million people A proposal of the Health Services Division received approval of the committee to procure RT-PCR test Kits and PCR Lab Consumables through Central Medical Stores Depot (CMSD) from different private companies through DPM.  These items will be procured to face the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.   Also read: No uncertainty over receiving vaccine doses: Finance Minister Another similar proposal of the same division was also approved by the committee to procure health protection and medical equipment from private companies through the CMSD by the same method. The committee also approved the health ministry’s proposal to procure vaccine technology from Russian and China to produce it locally.  Read Govt rooftops can generate 2000 MW of solar power, say experts