Our Correspondent
Six people died from fever and cold-related problems at Comilla Medical College Hospital in the last 24 hours till Thursday morning.
A total of 106 patients, including 40 Covid-19 patients, are undergoing treatment at the hospital, said its assistant director Dr Sajeda Khatun.
According to the Civil Surgeon office, 30 more people tested positive for Covid-19 in the district in the last 24 hours, bringing the total tally to 5,030.
So far, 130 people have died of Covid-19 and cold-related problems while 3,050 people made full recovery in the district.
35,000 families living in Khagrachhari hills amid landslide risk
Our Correspondent
Around 35,000 families have been living in Khagrachhari hill slopes amid danger of landslides due to heavy rains during the monsoon.
Locals have been passing days amid worry as torrential rains for the last several days have triggered risk of landslides in the district.
Despite knowing the risk, more than 3,000 families are living in the risk of landslides in the 30 risky areas under sadar municipal alone, according to information of deputy commissioner office.
If the rain increases, the risk of landslides will increase, said locals.
Locals alleged that local administration remain indifferent about constructing makeshift settlements in hill slopes cutting hills round the year and they become active with the arrival of monsoon.
Now local administration is working to raise awareness among residents to move to safer places, they said
The district administration is adopting zero tolerance policy to stop cutting of hills to prevent landslides, said deputy commissioner Protap Chanda Biswas.
In the last few days, continuous rains have triggered landslides in different areas of the district town including Sabujbagh, Shalbagan, Comilla Tila, Kalabagan, creating anxiety among families living on the foot of the hills.
Two mud houses have collapsed recently due to landslide, said locals. Besides, several houses were also damaged but no casualties were reported.
However, although miking is going on but the residents of the areas are not leaving the areas, said the deputy commissioner.
On the other hand, people living in the areas said that they have no alternative place to move so they are being forced to live on the hill slopes risking their lives.
Pradeep Chowdhury, president of the Khagrachhari Environmental Protection Movement, said any big accident may take place anytime if the people living in hills are not rehabilitated.
Khagrachhari municipality mayor Rafiqul Alam said that the municipality and district administration are working to evacuate people living in the risky areas.
Besides, shelters have been prepared and district administration is working to raise awareness among local residents.
DC Pratap Chandra Biswas said the district administration has emphasized on stopping hill cutting as a permanent step to prevent landslides.
He said that action will be taken as per the existing law to stop hill cutting.
‘Child rapist’ killed in Chattogram ‘gunfight’
Our Correspondent
A suspected child rapist was killed in a reported gunfight with police at Shantinagar under Bayezid Bostami thana in the city early Thursday.
The deceased was identified as Belal Hossain Dafadar, 39, a resident of Sitakunda upazila. He was wanted in 14 cases including ten rape cases.
Tipped off, a team of police conducted a drive in the area on Wednesday night and arrested Belal, said Bijoy Basak, deputy commissioner of Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP).
Later, police along with Belal conducted a drive in a hill near Shantinagar Residential area in the dead of night.
As soon as police reached the area, the associates of Belal opened fire on the law enforcers, forcing them to fire back that triggered a gunfight.
At one stage, Belal was caught in the line of fire and died on the spot.
Police also recovered some bullets and arms from the spot.
In 2016, local people caught Belal red-handed while abducting a child and handed him over to police.
Later, he got released from jail after securing bail.
Recently eight children in Bayazid Bostami, Akbar Shah and Khulshi areas of the city were violated.
During investigation, police came to know that Belal used to pick up minor girls alluring them of giving chocolates and violated them.
Our Correspondent
A mobile court has sealed off a diagnostic centre in Barishal and has sentenced three people to six months in prison over a medical report fraud.
The raid was carried out at the Central Medical Services on Jordan Road on Wednesday, said Barisal District Administration Executive Magistrate Ziaur Rahman.
The men have been identified as Jasim Uddin Milon, owner of the Central Medical Services, AK Chowdhury and Dr Noor A Sarwar Saikat.
Samples of 52 corona suspects missing from Rajshahi lab!
Our Correspondent
Yet another incident of utter negligence and irresponsible act of the government’s health department has become exposed in Rajshahi Medical College.
Samples of 52 persons for coronavirus tests have gone missing from the Corona Lab of Rajshahi Medical College (RMC). The samples were sent from Shibganj Upazila Health Complex in Chapainawabganj district on July 12 last to the RMC Lab for tests. The reports of the tests have not yet reached the Shibganj Upazila Health Complex.
Rangunia upazila chairman Khalilur Rahman dies
Our Correspondent
Rangunia Upazila Parishad chairman and former Awami League upazila unit chief Khalilur Rahman Chowdhury passed away on Thursday. He was 94.
According to hospital sources, he was suffering from kidney problems and undergoing treatment at the Parkview Hospital in the port city where he breathed his last at 1pm.
Former vice chairman of Rangunia upazila Md Akhter Hossain confirmed the death.
The upazila chairman was admitted to the hospital on July 6.
He left behind wife, son, two daughters and host of relatives and well wishers. Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of Khalilur Rahman Chowdhury.
She prayed for eternal salvation of the departed soul and expressed sympathy to the bereaved family.
489 corona patients identified in Bagerhat
Our Correspondent
Some 11 new corona positive patients were detected in the whole of Bagerhat district during the last 24 hours, according to a source of the office of the Civil Surgeon, Bagerhat. As a result, the number of corona positive patients rose to 489 in the district. Out of them11 died while some 292 were recovered. The source added, some 6 persons died of corona symptoms in the district. Twenty Five persons, the highest number of corona positive patients were detected in Fakirhat Upazila of the district and out of them 6 died.
Another report states that Adv. Al-haj Md. Enamul Haq (60), a lawyer of Bagerhat Judge Court and a member of Bagerhat District Bar Association died of corona symptoms in Khulna Medical College Hospital on Tuesday. He left behind wife, 3 daughters, 4 brothers and a host of relatives, friends and admirers to mourn his death. On Sunday he fell ill with corona symptoms. On Monday he was admitted to Khulna Medical College Hospital where he expired on Tuesday afternoon while he was being given treatment.
Journalist’s wife dies
Our Correspondent
Poli Rani Saha, an assistant teacher of the local Bagerhat Multilateral High School and wife of Nihar Ranjan Saha, Vice-president of Bagerhat Press Club and Bagerhat district based correspondent of Bengali national daily The Ittefaq and the TV channel BTV breathed her last on Tuesday at the age of 52. She was kind, generous and well-behaved all through her life. She has been suffering from liver cirrhosis for long. She left behind husband, 2 daughters, old mother and a host of relatives, friends and admirers to mourn her death.
On the day she suddenly fell ill and when she was being taken to Khulna Medical College Hospital by an ambulance for treatment she expired in it (ambulance) on her way to the hospital. She was created at the local Muniganj Central crematory in the afternoon on the same day. At that time a large number people including journalists, teachers, social workers, businessmen and the elites of the district town were present there.
Water of Jamuna rising again
Our Correspondent
The water of Jamuna River has started rising again after receding in the last few days at Sariakandi point in Bogura.
It has increased by 2 cm and is flowing above the danger level by 6 cm in the last 24 hours.
The district administration said on Wednesday that 1,300 people from 25,650 families in 12 unions and one municipality of Sariakandi upazila, 22,250 people from 4,960 families in 3 unions of Sonatala upazila and 2,920 people from 622 families in 2 unions of Dhunat upazila have been affected by the floods so far.
Meanwhile, the floodwaters have inundated 6,731 hectares of cropland.
A total of Tk 12 lakh and 400 metric tonnes of rice have already been allocated for the victims, including Tk 6 lakh in cash, Tk 2 lakh for cow feed and another Tk 2 lakh for baby food. 3 thousand packets of dry food have been distributed. 70 shelters have been set up for the flood victims.
Power line to living trees in Chilahati for 3 years
Our Correspondent
Power is being supplied to the living trees at risk for 3 years due to lack of poles. Customers are spending time showing each other when they go to the power office to complain more than once.
Although the Basuniapara power line from ChilahatiDak Bangla in Nilphamari district has been running for a long time, no one has visited it. So the customers have accepted the suffering of the people.
The electricity customer, who did not want to be named, said that the electricity pole collapsed in the middle of 2016 due to a storm. At that time, people from the Nesco (PDB) office came and installed the power line on a living tree showing the lack of poles.
Customers have claimed that the tree could fall at any moment and cause a major accident.
Nesco (PDB) Domar Residential Engineer Yushub Ali said all these power lines would be taken on an urgent basis.
