United News of Bangladesh

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and villagers on Sunday night foiled an attempt by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) to push 20 to 25 people into Bangladesh through Gobindapur border area in Birampur upazila of Dinajpur. Locals said they noticed a group of 20 to 25 Indian nationals being gathered near Border Pillar No. 289/46-S under Daudpur Border Outpost (BOP) of BGB’s 29 Battalion in Katla Union around 11 pm and took position with sticks after suspecting that the BSF was preparing to push them into Bangladesh. On information, a BGB patrol team from Daudpur BOP rushed to the area. Camp Commander Mahabur Rahman said the BSF opened a gate in the barbed-wire fence around 11pm and attempted to push the group into Bangladesh territory. “Locals noticed the incident and chased them. When the BSF noticed the presence of the BGB patrol team, it was forced to take the Indian nationals back,” he said. No presence of Indian nationals was noticed along the border on Monday morning, he said.  

A thief brazenly stole Tk 4 lakh from a bank customer while he and his family were busy counting the cash he had just withdrawn from inside a bank in Cumilla on Sunday afternoon.  The incident occurred at around 4:25pm at the Pubali Bank branch in Debidwar. A video clip of the incident has already gone viral on social media.  The victim, Md. Zakir Hossain, an electrician from Chhot Alampur village in Devidwar, filed a written complaint with Debidwar Police Station on Sunday night.  According to the complaint, Zakir Hossain withdrew Tk 7 lakh from the bank for family needs. As the bank provided the cash in smaller denominations—comprising five bundles of Tk 1,000 notes, two bundles of Tk 500 notes and 10 bundles of Tk 100 notes—he sat on a sofa inside the bank to count the money with his wife, Ayasha Akhter, and daughter-in-law, Poly Akhter.  After counting four bundles of Tk 1,000 notes (Tk 4 lakh), they placed the cash behind them on the sofa and focused on counting the remaining notes. Seizing the opportunity, a thief sitting nearby quietly snatched the four bundles and fled the scene. The family only realized the money went missing after they finished counting the rest of the cash. That it was stolen was subsequently confirmed by reviewing the bank's CCTV footage.  Md. Waes Masum Chowdhury, Pubali Bank Branch Manager,  said the customer was focused on counting and placing the money behind him without paying attention to his surroundings, which allowed the thief to execute the crime.  Md. Moniruzzaman, Debidwar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC), said they received the complaint along with the CCTV footage. "We are investigating the matter and attempting to take swift action," the OC added. 

Police on Sunday afternoon recovered the hanging body of a 22-year-old restaurant employee from his living quarters at his employer's residence in Brahmanpara upazila of Comilla. The deceased, identified as Md. Sifat Hridoy, 22, was a waiter at a restaurant in neighbouring Burichang upazila. Hridoy lived with his mother in Feni Sadar and was the son of the late Abdul Haque. His employer's home, where Hridoy and other restaurant staff resided, is located at Nagarpara village in Sahebabad union of Brahmanpara. According to Maeen Uddin Sohail, the owner of the restaurant, Hridoy joined the restaurant about 20 days ago on the recommendation of the head chef. He had recently visited his home for five or six days due to his mother's illness and returned to work on Thursday. "On Sunday morning, other employees left for the restaurant while Hridoy stayed back, claiming he was sick," Sohail said. When he failed to show up by afternoon, colleagues went to check on him. Finding the room locked from the inside and receiving no response, they looked through a gap in the veranda door and spotted Hridoy hanging from a ceiling fan with a traditional towel (gamcha). Abdul Gani, Brahmanpara Police Station Inspector (Investigation), confirmed that the body was recovered and sent to the Comilla Medical College (CoMC) Hospital morgue for an autopsy. "Based on preliminary investigation, the room was used as lodging for the restaurant staff," Gani said. "The exact cause of death will be determined after receiving the autopsy report. The family has been informed, and they are preparing to file an unnatural death case."  

A 70-year-old man and his two grandchildren drowned while taking a bath in a pond in Sadar upazila of Lakshmipur district on Sunday. The deceased were identified as Abu Siddique, 70, and his grandchildren Piyas, 8, son of Abdul Aziz and Popy Akter, 6, daughter of Sumi Akter. Local people said Abu Siddique along with his grandchildren went to the pond at Shakchar area to take a bath. At one stage, Abu Siddque drowned in the pond. Piyas and Poppy also drowned while trying to rescue their grandfather. Wahid Pervez, Officer-in-Charge of Lakshmipur Sadar Model Police Station, said a team of police went to the spot and necessary steps will be taken after talking to the family members.

Police arrested a teacher for allegedly molesting six students at a madrasa in Narail municipality area, from Gazipur Metropoltian area early Sunday. The arrestee was identified as Mahabubur Rahman, 25, son of Alamgir Hossain of Balrampur village of Sadar upazila. Tipped off, police arrested Mahabubur Rahman from the area, said Inspector (Investigation) of Narail Sadar Police Station Ajay Kumar Kundu. According to police, the incident came to light after one of the children fell victim to sexual abuse at Tafsir Uddin Hafezia Madrasa in Dumurtala area around midnight on August 27. Later, the child's mother went to the madrasa, where the child reportedly told her about the incident. The child and his mother informed the madrasa authorities. At that time, five other child students also alleged that they had been sexually abused by the same teacher. Later Mahabubur fled the madrasa, police said. The mother of one of the victims filed a case with Narail Sadar Police Station on Saturday. The accused teacher was produced before a court after his arrest, said Inspector Kundu.

Three people were killed and at least 30 others injured when a bus plunged into a roadside ditch in Muksudpur upazila of Gopalganj on Sunday morning. The identities of the deceased could not be confirmed immediately. Police said the Tungipara Express bus, travelling from Khulna to Dhaka, lost control after reaching the Gerakhola area and fell into a ditch near the Gerakhola Bridge on the Dhaka-Khulna highway around 10:45am. The bus was badly damaged in the accident, leaving three passengers dead on the spot and at least 30 others injured. On information, police and Fire Service personnel rushed to the scene and conducted a rescue operation. Bhanga Highway Police Station Sergeant Md Azadur Rahman said 12 of the injured were taken to Muksudpur Upazila Health Complex.

The body of a Bangladeshi worker from Kalaroa upazila of Satkhira, who was killed in a reported Israeli drone strike in Lebanon, reached his village home on Sunday morning, plunging his family and neighbours into grief. The deceased was identified as Shuvo Das of Shripatipur village in the upazila. His body reached home around 10:00am, about three months and 25 days after his death in a drone strike in a conflict zone in southern Lebanon on May 11. Shuvo was the second of four siblings, including three brothers and a sister. His family said he went to Lebanon about two and a half years ago after selling two decimals of their homestead land to meet the cost of migration. He has now returned home in a coffin, leaving his family devastated. He will be cremated at a local cremation ground after noon. Shafiqul Islam, 43, of Purbapara village in Sadar upazila, and Nahidul Islam, 22, of Kadakathi village in Ashashuni upazila, of Satkhira were also killed in the Israeli drone strike. Their bodies reached their respective villages on June 7. Moin Uddin, a counsellor at the Khulna divisional office of the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, said the government provided the family with a cheque for Tk 85,000 on Saturday night. He said the family will receive another Tk 3 lakh this month and additional Tk 10 lakh from life insurance after a few months.

The hanging bodies of a pregnant woman and her four-year-old daughter were recovered from their home in Zakiganj upazila of Sylhet on Saturday evening. The deceased were identified as Champa Rani Das, 35, wife of jewellery trader Ratan Das of Shahgali Bazar, and her daughter Hridi Das, 4. Local residents said Champa Rani was pregnant. The bodies were recovered from their home in Daspara area of Burhanpur village under Barhal Union Parishad. Locals said they saw the mother and daughter hanging from a ceiling fan inside the house and informed police. Muhammad Abdur Razzak, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Zakiganj Police Station, said a police team led by Inspector (Investigation) Md Sujan Mia went to the scene after receiving the information. The bodies will be sent to the morgue of Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital for autopsy after necessary legal procedures, he said. Whether the incident was a suicide or involved any other circumstances will be known after the autopsy report and initial investigation, the OC said. Police are preparing to file an unnatural death case over the incident, he added.

A woman was killed and her husband was injured Saturday afternoon when her scarf (orna) became tangled in the wheel of their motorcycle on the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in Trishal upazila. The deceased was identified as Julekha Khatun, 40, wife of Faruk Ahmed, a resident of the Achim area in Fulbaria upazila. Eyewitnesses said the couple was traveling from Trishal to Mymensingh on the motorcycle. When they reached the Boilor Kanhor area on the highway, Khatun's scarf accidentally got caught in the wheel. The entanglement threw her off the motorcycle onto the highway, causing her to die on the spot. Locals rescued the injured husband and admitted him to the Community Based Medical College Hospital. Monsur Ahmed, Trishal Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC), said police visited the scene. The body has been handed over to the family without an autopsy as they had no objections, he added.

A festive mood has gripped Thakurgaon as President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir prepares to visit his home district for the first time since taking office. The two-day visit, beginning Sunday, has brought a fresh sense of excitement to the district, with roads being repainted, dividers decorated and public places cleaned and beautified ahead of the President’s arrival. For many residents, however, the visit is about more than ceremony. It has also raised fresh hopes that the President will draw attention to the district’s long-standing development needs, particularly in education, healthcare, communications and infrastructure. The President will be visiting Thakurgaon through September 6-7. Important roads and establishments in the town have been decorated for the occasion, while preparations for a civic reception are in their final stages.