United News of Bangladesh

With summer in full bloom, Natore finds itself basking in the golden glow of a mango season that is as bountiful as it is beautiful.  From the quiet village orchards to the bustling market squares, the district is humming with the sweet scent of ripened fruit, a heady reminder of nature’s generosity and the region’s mango-growing prowess. Often mentioned in the same breath as the famed mango belts of Chapainawabganj, Rajshahi and Naogaon, Natore stands tall with its vibrant offering of both beloved classics and an ever-expanding gallery of exotic cultivars. The markets are alive with colour and conversation.  Glimmering heaps of mangoes — from blushing pinks to sun-drenched yellows — are drawing in buyers from near and far.  Prices, mercifully, remain a pleasant surprise. “This is one of the best years in terms of both variety and value,” beams Liton, a cheerful trader busy weighing baskets of Gopalbhog.  Mangoes here range from Tk 15 to Tk 60 per kilogram, making the king of fruits a daily indulgence rather than a rare treat. Natore's rawhide traders distressed by 10-day entry ban into Dhaka A Market Awash with Mangoes In the heart of the mango trade, Ahmadpur in Baraigram upazila and Tamaltala in Bagatipara are seeing a frenzy of activity.  These two wholesale hubs have transformed into vibrant epicentres, where voices rise above the rustle of mango-laden sacks and the clang of truck gates slamming shut. No fewer than ten truckloads of mangoes leave Tamaltala for Dhaka every day, say traders Uzzal Hossain, Lalon Ali and Mosharraf Hossain, their eyes gleaming with the thrill of brisk business.  Even more make their journey from Ahmadpur, destined for cities across the nation.  At these wholesale centres, a maund of mangoes fetches anything from Tk 500 to Tk 1,500, depending on the variety and freshness. Tradition Meets Tempting Newcomers Selim Reza, a proud recipient of the National Agriculture Award and a lifelong mango cultivator, stands among his trees with a knowing smile.  “Gopalbhog, Langra, Mohanbhog, Lakshmanbhog, Khirsapat, Rani Pochondo and Mallika are ruling the markets right now. But the season has more to offer. Soon, late bloomers like Amrapali, Nag Fazli, Surma Fazli and Maharaj Fazli will arrive,” he shares. There is a quiet revolution taking place in the orchards of Natore. Once known only for traditional favourites, the district is now making waves with mangoes few Bangladeshis have tasted — names like Katimon, Bandikuri, Kyuzai, Totapuri, and the intriguingly named Banana Mango. These rare varieties, grown with care and curiosity, are adding new flavours to the local mango narrative. And there’s more. The NAS hybrids — NAS-1 through NAS-5 — have captured imaginations and markets alike. These large-fruited, high-yielding varieties bring not just impressive sizes but also thrilling textures and flavours. NAS-4 glows round and vibrant, while NAS-5 is loved for bearing fruit twice in a season, a gift few growers can resist. Flavours from Afar, Rooted in Natore Natore’s orchards now tell an international tale. Indian-origin gems like Arunika, Arunima, Hamilton, Arkanilachal, and Ambika are flourishing beside American showstoppers such as Kent, Keitt, and Austin. Thailand’s blushing Red Palmer joins the chorus, creating a truly global mango medley. Local innovations sing their own sweet notes — Gauomoti and BARI-4, proudly developed by Bangladeshi researchers, are flourishing in select gardens and fetching handsome prices on Dhaka’s high-end supermarket shelves and online stores. Even the elusive Ashwini mango, grown only in a few blessed pockets of the district, finds its place in this celebration of variety. Natore’s bio fish feed offers cheaper, safer future for aquaculture A Golden Harvest After Grey Skies Nature had its moments of mischief earlier in the season, with nor’westers and hailstorms threatening the harvest. But the trees stood strong, and the yield tells a story of triumph. Habibur Rahman Khan, Deputy Director of the Department of Agricultural Extension in Natore, estimates this year’s mango production at around 73,000 metric tonnes.  “Although the season began with some setbacks, the overall yield has been promising. This abundance is ensuring consumers get mangoes at reasonable prices," he says. And so, under the sun-dappled shade of mango groves, Natore’s orchards whisper a sweet secret: that in this land of fragrance and fruit, every bite is a celebration — of tradition, innovation, and the sheer joy of summer.  

In a deeply distressing incident, the bodies of a husband and wife were found hanging in their home in Kachua village under Lalpur upazila of Natore on Monday morning, casting a pall of grief and shock over the rural community. The deceased were identified as Royzul Islam, 43, a local farmer, and his 28-year-old wife, Fatema Begum. According to police, neighbours got worried when the couple failed to respond throughout the morning. Child dies as wall collapses amid Nor’wester in Natore After repeated attempts to contact them went unanswered, some villagers peered through a window and were horrified to discover Fatema’s body hanging inside the house. Upon entering, they found Royzul in the adjacent room, also hanging. The villagers immediately alerted the police, who arrived on the scene shortly afterwards. Law enforcement officials recovered both bodies and brought them to Lalpur Police Station for further examination. While the exact cause of the tragedy remains unknown, locals suspect a family dispute may have led to the incident. 7-year old murdered after ‘rape’ in Natore Talking to UNB, Lalpur Police Station officer-in-charge Mominuzzaman said, “We have recovered the bodies and are currently investigating the matter. Further action will be taken based on our findings.”  

A 12-year old child died after a wall collapsed during  Nor’wester in Baraigram upazila of Natore on Thursday. The deceased was identified as Bithi Khatun, a student of AgranGanajagaran non-formal Primary School. Family sourced said when she was washing her hands at the tap inside her home around 8 pm on Wednesday a guava tree and adjacent wall collapsed on her amid storm.  Inspector closed in Natore over July uprising shooting The family members quickly rescued her and took her to a local private hospital where the doctor declared her dead. Baraigram Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Golam Sarwar Hossain  said police visited the spot upon receiving the news and took legal steps accordingly.  Two locomotives derail in Natore’s Lalpur within span of 7 hrs  

An experimental initiative in Natore has led to the development of a bio fish feed that could significantly reduce fish farming costs while ensuring safety for human health, say researchers involved in the project. Developed by biologist Dr GNM Elias, the innovative feed is made from protein-rich Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae, combined with mustard oil cake, molasses and a fungus called Trichoderma. The ingredients are locally sourced, making the feed not only cost-effective but also environmentally friendly. Dr Elias told UNB that after years of research, he devised this organic formula by rearing BSF larvae on discarded vegetables like eggplants. The larvae consume the waste, reproduce and die, leaving behind eggs rich in protein and vitamins that fish find highly nutritious. “The feed is completely safe and healthy for human consumption,” said Dr Elias, adding that it also improves water quality and enhances ecological balance in fish ponds. In trial applications, the feed has shown promising results by boosting plankton growth—the natural food source for fish—while also supporting the organic matter needed for duck farming in the same ecosystem. To enhance the feed's nutritional value and sustainability, Dr Elias used sugar mill byproducts and refined the Trichoderma fungus through research support in Malaysia. According to him, the formula releases nutrients in phases, contributing to the steady growth of fish and maintaining the natural equilibrium of the water body. Local farmers who participated in the trial are encouraged by the outcome. Shafiul Haque, a fish farmer in the region, described the innovation as “timely and promising” and said commercial production could make aquaculture more cost-effective and sustainable. Another farmer, Mehedi Hasan, said their ponds have shown encouraging results using the feed and urged authorities to take steps towards its large-scale production. Dr Elias previously focused on applying Trichoderma in organic fertilisers, which proved effective in potato and other root crop farming. 12 people injured in attack by auto-rickshaw drivers in N’ganj By blending poultry litter and sugar mill press mud with Trichoderma, he created a bio-fertiliser that increased yields by nearly 30% in northern Bangladesh. This year, farmers in the region have reported strong harvests of potatoes and onions using the organic mix.    

Police arrested five teenagers in connection with raping and killing a 7-year-old girl in Baraigram, Natore. “The arrestees are between 14 and 16 years of age,” said Natore Superintendent of Police (SP) Amzad Hossain on Saturday. He said several detective teams of Natore District Police conducted a raid and first arrested two teenagers. Acting on their information, three more teenagers were arrested, the SP said. Four of the five teenagers arrested in Garfa and nearby villages in Baraigram upazila, while another lives in Rampur, Chatmohar. During the preliminary interrogation, the SP said, they confessed to the police that they had raped and killed the child. According to him, they are being further interrogated at the office of the Natore Superintendent of Police. 1,631 people arrested in special drives Since no one of the arrested was adults, the police did not release their identities and photos. Earlier on April 15, locals found her body lying in a cornfield in Haripur village of Katakhali union in Chatmohar upazila, a few hundred yards away from the house. First, they informed the child's family, and then informed the police. Upon receiving the information, Natore and Pabna district police went to the spot. At that time, the child's face was burned with acid. Later, the police collected evidence and sent the body to the Pabna Sadar Hospital morgue. That day, an eyewitness and neighbour Emdadul Haque said that farmers in the area who were working in the fields first saw his body. “Later, we informed the family and went there. After a while, the police came and took the body.” He said her entire face was burnt. Mahbubur Rahman, the officer-in-charge (OC) of Baraigram Police Station, said that the police intelligence team has been on the ground to identify and arrest the criminals since the body was recovered. Although the child's home is in Baraigram Upazila (Natore), the body was found in the Chatmohar area of ​​Pabna, which borders the upazila. As a result, a case was filed with Chatmohar Police Station.

A seven-year-old girl has been killed allegedly after being raped in Natore's Baraigram upazila. Police recovered the body of Jui, 7, daughter of Malaysian expatriate Jahirul Islam of Garfa village in the upazila, from neighboring Chatmohor upazila. Quating family members Chandai union parishad chairman Shahnaz Parveen said Jui had been missing since she got out from home on the day of Pahelda Boisakh (Monday).   Krishal Dal activist stabbed dead in Gazipur On Tuesday morning, locals spotted the girl's naked body in a maize field at Katakhali Haripur area in Chatmohar upazila in Pabna, said Shahnaz Parveen. Upon receiving information, family members rushed to the scene and identified the girl as Jui. Her face was found burnt apparently by acid. Mahbub Hossain, officer-in-cahrge of Baraigram Police Station, said that they are investigating the incident.         

Police recovered six firearms from a pond near the police wireless centre and the old DC’s bungalow in Kandivita area of Natore city on Friday. Among the recovered weapons were four shotguns, a double-barrelled gun, and an airgun, police said. 3 arrested with 45,900 yaba pills in Dhaka Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mahmudah Sharmin Neli of Natore Sadar Circle said that two boys were fishing in the pond in the morning when their fishing rod got stuck underwater. “As they tried to free it, they discovered a bundle wrapped in a blanket. Upon opening it, they found an airgun and a double-barrelled gun inside.” Locals immediately informed the police, who later recovered the weapons. Subsequently, a team of divers from Natore Fire Service conducted a search operation in the pond and found four more shotguns. "A full-scale search operation will be launched from Saturday by draining the pond," ASP Neli said.

Police in have arrested a leader of the banned Bangladesh Chhatra League for allegedly making derogatory remarks about Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) on Facebook in Singra upazila og Natore. Sakibul Hasan Swachchha, general secretary of Ward-6 of the Chhatra League's Ramananda Khajura Union unit was arrested from the Singra Bazar area around midnight Sunday, said Singra Police Station Officer-in-Charge Asmaul Haque. Banned BCL leader arrested for offensive remarks on Prophet (PBUH) According to police and locals, Swachchha, posted derogatory comments about the Prophet (PBUH) in the comment section of a political post on Facebook. After his remarks spread online, angered locals gathered at Singra Police Station around 10:00 pm, demanding his punishment and filing a written complaint. Following this, police conducted an immediate operation and arrested Swachchha from the Singra Bazar area, the OC said. Banned IU BCL leader, activist held during exam The arrestee will be sent to the court on Monday in a defamation case, added the OC.

A group of protesters vandalised and set fire to the residence of former Natore-2 MP and district Awami League Vice-President Shafiqul Islam Shimul in the early hours of Thursday. The attack took place around midnight in the Kandivita area of Natore city, where protesters broke into Shimul’s residence, damaged property, and torched a burnt-out vehicle along with other remnants on the premises. During the incident, demonstrators played loud music and chanted anti-Awami League slogans before leaving the area in a procession around 1am. Sheikh Mujib's mural demolished in Sylhet Witnesses said no law enforcement personnel were present at the scene during the attack. The incident came hours after a programme  titled "Bulldozer Procession," scheduled for 9pm on Wednesday, and the vandalism of Sheikh Mujib's residence at Dhanmondi 32 in Dhaka.

Two teenage students died and another got injured when their motorcycle lost control and crashed into a wall in Naldanga upazila, Natore on Sunday evening. The deceased were identified as Sadnan Safa, 14, a class 8 student and Labib Hasan Sun, 16, a class 10 student, both from Diyar Kazipur village. The injured, Siam Sheikh, 14, also a class eight student, remains in critical condition at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH). Naldanga Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mostafizur Rahman said the three cousins were traveling from Trimohani Bazar to Diyar’s Kazipur Chowdhurypara on the Trimohani-Mirzapur rural road around 8pm. The motorcycle, reportedly speeding, lost control at a bend and crashed into the brick wall of a house, leaving them injured. 2 die in separate Natore road accidents Locals rushed to their aid and took them to Natore Sadar Hospital. Labib died while undergoing treatment, while Sadnan succumbed to his injuries en route to RMCH. Police inspected the scene and sent the bodies to Natore Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy. “After completing the legal formalities, the bodies will be handed over to their families,” said the OC.