Sylhet
35-yr-old biker killed in Sylhet road crash
A 35-year-old man was killed and another injured when a truck hit their bike in Dakshin Surma upazila of Sylhet on Thursday night, police said.
The deceased was identified as Nurul Boksh, son of Akmol Boksh from Tillapara area of the upazila.
Also read: Wear quality helmets while on the streets, IGP tells motorbikers
The accident occurred around 10pm on a busy road near a fuel outlet in the Alinagar area of the upazila. Both the men on the bike sustained severe injuries in the crash.
"Nurul died on the way to hospital, while Sahel Boksh, 23, is currently being treated at North East Hospital," said Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, sub-inspector at Dakshin Surma police station.
Also read: Biker killed, pillion rider injured in Dhaka road accident
Golapganj mayor suspended over comments against ministry
Sylhet's Golapganj municipality mayor has been suspended for his comments against the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, and the government.
A notification signed by Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mohammad Faruk Hossain on Monday contained mayor Aminul Islam Rabel’s suspension order.
READ: 3 cops suspended as Rohingya man flees police custody in Ctg
The notification said Aminul commented about the Bangladesh government and the ministry during a programme organised by the Greater Sylhet Development Forum in the UK.
He said, "We’ve to pay a 5% bribe in advance to get any project released from the ministry."
His remarks in London sparked widespread discussion and criticism as it spread through social media.
The ministry took the decision amid the controversy.
However, his statement over the matter could not be known as Aminul is still in the UK.
READ: Cyber tribunal orders probe against suspended Gazipur mayor under DSA
Incidentally, former president of Golapganj Upazila Awami League Aminul did not even get the party's nomination in the Golapganj municipality election held on January 30.
He was later elected mayor as an independent candidate.
1 killed, 7 injured in Sylhet road crash
A person was killed and seven others were injured as a dumping truck collided head on with a passenger bus at Jangail area of Sylhet’s Jalalabad.
The accident occurred on Monday at around 2.30 pm.
READ: Road crashes in Bangladesh claim 413 lives in Nov: Report
The deceased was identified as Muslim Uddin, 28, son of Muktar Ali of Atgaon village under Sunamganj’s Shalla.
Police citing the locals said that a Sylhet-bound dumping truck without any number plate hit a Sunamganj-bound passenger bus around 2.30 pm. The bus fell into a roadside ditch leaving one dead.
Police and fire service members rescued the passengers, they said.
SMP Jalalabad Police OC Nazmul Huda Khan said that one person was killed and seven others injured at the head-on collision. Of the injured three were taken to Osmani Medical College Hospital in critical condition.
READ: Now HSC examinee killed in Ctg road crash
The truck without number plate and the bus have been seized. No arrests have yet been made, he said.
Sylhet to turn into a hub of modern medical services: FM
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Friday said Sylhet will become one of the hubs of modern medical services.
He said thousands of people from Bangladesh go to neighboring countries for treatment every year.
Read: It's US politics to keep countries under pressure in the name of democracy: FM
"If we can provide adequate medical services to healthcare seekers, we will be able to save a huge amount of money," Dr Momen said while inaugurating the newly constructed 10-storey outdoor building of Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital (SOMCH) in the afternoon.
Highlighting the various steps taken by the government for the development of medical services in Sylhet, the Foreign Minister said the capacity of SOMC Hospital to provide medical services has increased significantly with the completion of the ten-storey outdoor building.
Besides, the minister said the eight-storey building under construction of Sylhet Sadar Hospital will be completed by May next year and then the medical services in Sylhet will be further advanced.
Read: ‘We've a very transparent democracy’: FM Momen
Dr Momen also mentioned the necessary process for the construction of the second Osmani Medical College Hospital has already started.
Director of Osmani Medical College Hospital, Sylhet Deputy Commissioner and local administration officials were present among others on the occasion.
SSC examinees, others suffer as transport strike begins in Sylhet
An indefinite transport strike, enforced by Bangladesh Road Transport Workers' Federation (BRTWF), began in Sylhet division on Monday to press for their five-point demand.
Commuters, including SSC examinees and office-goers, continued to suffer as all modes of public transport, including buses, CNG-run auto-rickshaws and freight trucks went off the roads in the division.
However, vehicles carrying SSC examinees, patients, foreign-bound people have been kept out of the purview of the strike.
No long-haul buses have left Sylhet since morning due to the strike and transport workers were seen picketing on the roads.
Read: Indefinite transport strike in Sylhet from Monday
Private vehicles were seen dominating the streets in Sylhet city in absence of public transport.
Talking to UNB, a number of passengers expressed anger and frustration over the frequent transport strikes.
Hossain Ahmed, a bank official waiting at the Sylhet Central Bus Terminal, said, “Transport owners go on strike for simple reasons. They want to realise their demands, making us hostage. This is very unfair.”
He demanded an end to such strikes in the emergency services sector by enacting a law.
Youth arrested for raping former lover in Sylhet
A young man has been sent to jail for raping a woman who was going to get married but had an affair with him.
Jahangir Ahmed (28) was arrested from a hotel in Sylhet with the rape victim on Tuesday afternoon after Kotwali police was informed by Nation emergency helpline 999.
According to police a 22-year-old girl was raped at a residential hotel in Kotwali police station area of Sylhet. She was rescued after a friend of the girl called 999 at the time of the incident.
Kotwali police sub-inspector (SI) Shidul Das said that he rescued the victim from a room in a residential hotel and arrested the accused Jahangir.
On Wednesday, he was sent to jail through the court, the SI added.
Officer-in-charge (OC) of Sylhet Kotwali Model Police Station Mahammed Ali Mahmud said a woman called 999 on Tuesday afternoon and said her friend was in danger. She said her friend was being raped in a residential hotel in Sylhet. 999 immediately reported the matter to the Kotwali police station and directed to rescue the victim immediately. Upon receiving the news, a team of Kotwali police rescued the victim.
According to the police, both the victim and the accused belong to Lamakazi of Bishwanath upazila of Sylhet. They had a love affair for several years. But the woman was getting married elsewhere. So Jahangir brought her to the hotel and raped her.
Be humane in building livable society for differently-abled people: FM
The government is committed to addressing the needs of the people who are differently-abled by integrating them into society, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said Friday.
He urged all to be more humane in building a livable society for the people with special needs. "Autism is not a disease. It is a special situation that requires much care."
Sylhet restaurant owners call off strike
Restaurant owners in Sylhet have called off their indefinite strike in protest against mobile court raids, following assurances from the local administration and ruling party politicians.
On Tuesday afternoon, restaurants owners across Sylhet declared to go on an indefinite strike from Wednesday in protest against the mobile court drives against "substandard" food and non-possession of a licence by some eateries.
Sylhet administration officials spoke to the aggrieved restaurant owners at night. They were also contacted by the ruling Awami League leaders.
Read:Sylhet restaurants to go on indefinite strike from Wednesday
The restaurant owners withdrew the strike after the administration assured them of halting the drive.
Shanto Deb, president of the Sylhet Caterers' Owners Association, said, “The administration has assured the restaurant owners that they would not be harassed in anyway. Hence, we have withdrawn the strike."
However, most of the restaurants in Sylhet have remained closed since Tuesday evening after the strike was called in the afternoon.
During the drive on Tuesday, magistrates ordered the closure of three eateries for "serving substandard foods" and not having a licence and detained two staff members.
The drive led restaurant workers to immediately take to the streets and block Zindabazar Road in the heart of the city for about an hour, causing a long traffic jam.
They demanded that the drive be halted and the detained workers be released soon.
Shanto had said the drive led by a mobile court of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) on Tuesday sealed Bhojon Bilash restaurant and detained its manager and supervisor, while Pach Bhai and Panshi eateries were fined Tk 80,000 each.
Meanwhile, magistrate Palash Kumar Bashu who led the drive, said the foods served in the restaurants were of substandard quality.
Read: Freight transport strike in Sylhet on November 9 and 10
Bhojon Bilash had not renewed their trade licence since 2019 and they possessed no legal documents authorising them to serve food, he said.
“Temporarily we have sealed the restaurant and taken two officials of other restaurants into custody for interrogation,” said the magistrate.
Magistrate Palash claimed during earlier drives too, they found stale foods in the restaurants.
Sylhet restaurants to go on indefinite strike from Wednesday
Restaurants in Sylhet will remain shut for an indefinite period from Wednesday in protest against a mobile court drive against substandard food and alleged irregularities by some eateries.
During the drive on Tuesday magistrates ordered closure of three eateries for serving substandard food and not having licenses and detained two staff members.
The drive led restaurant workers to immediately take to the streets and block the Zindabazar road at the centre of the city for about an hour causing long traffic jam.
They demanded that the drive be halted and the detained workers be released immediately.
Shanto Deb, President of Sylhet Caterers Owners’ Association said a mobile court drive conducted by Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) on Tuesday sealed Bhojon Bilash restaurant and detained its manager, supervisor while Pach Bhai and Panshi restaurant were fined Tk 80,000 each.
Read: Freight transport strike in Sylhet on November 9 and 10
“When the restaurant business has only started recovering from the losses of Covid-19 pandemic, they are harassing the restaurant owners in the name of conducting drives. If there is any problem they can fine but there is no rule of sealing off a restaurant,” he said.
From Wednesday all the restaurants in Sylhet will remain shut and the strike will continue until the demands are met, he said.
The decision of going on strike was taken at a meeting held at the Sylhet Chamber of Commerce and Industries hall room earlier in the day attended by Sylhet City Corporation Mayor Ariful Haque, President of SCCI ATM Shoeb, leaders of Sylhet Restaurant Owners’ association and Sylhet Caterers Owners’ Association.
Meanwhile, Magistrate Palash kumar Bashu who led the drive said, many irregularities were found in the food quality of the fined restaurants.
Read: RUB protest: Student on hunger strike tries to kill self in public
Bhojon Bilash did not renew their trade license since 2019 and they had no legal documents that authorize them to serve food, he said.
“Temporarily we have sealed the restaurant and taken two officials of other restaurants for interrogation,” said the magistrate.
Magistrate Palash Kumar claimed in earlier drives they found three to five days old stale foods in these restaurants but they still did not change.
Freight transport strike in Sylhet on November 9 and 10
The Sylhet District Truck, Pickup, Covered Van Owners-Workers Council on Nov 9 and Nov 10 has called for a 48-hour freight transport strike in Sylhet protesting additional toll collection at Lamakazi, Sherpur, Fenchuganj and Sheola bridges and ‘illegal’ collection of tolls in the name of Gowainghat Upazila and Chhatak Municipality.
Abu Sarkar, president of the Sylhet divisional workers unity alliance and president of the district truck pickup covered van workers' union, on Monday announced the strike at a protest rally of transport owners and workers at Humayun Rashid Chattar in Sylhet’s South Surma.
READ: Commuters hit hard by transport strike in Khulna
Abu Sarkar said illegal tolls are being collected from all bridges in Sylhet, including Lamkazi Bridge, for years. As no action has been taken by the authorities even after informing the police and the local administration, a strike has been called in Sylhet district on November 9 and 10.
Meanwhile, the leaders of Sylhet District bus-minibus workers union and CNG auto rickshaw union expressed solidarity with the 48-hour strike.
READ: 72-hr transport strike underway in Sylhet