A fire has broken out at a scrap warehouse in the Kalpolok residential area of Bakalia in Chattogram. According to the Fire Service control room, four units from Chandanpura and Lamarbazar stations were deployed around 5:30pm to douse the flames. Firefighters are attempting to contain the blaze, preventing it from spreading to nearby properties.
Two men accused of extorting money from autorickshaw drivers have been snatched away from police custody in Narsingdi Sadar after a group of up to 50 people reportedly launched an attack on officers. Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mohammad Anwar Hossain was injured in the assault on Saturday and later transferred to Rajarbagh Police Hospital in Dhaka after receiving first aid at Narsingdi Sadar Hospital. Dr Farida Gulshana Kabir, resident medical officer at Narsingdi Sadar Hospital, said: “Anwar Hossain received primary care. “No attack took place. It wasn’t really an attack -- there was just some pushing and shoving while the two men were being snatched away.
India probes possible cough syrup link to deaths of nine childrenIndian authorities said on Saturday they are investigating if contaminated cough syrup caused the deaths of nine children in a central state after a batch of the medication was found to contain dangerous levels of a toxic chemical. The Health Ministry said samples of Coldrif Cough Syrup, manufactured by Sresan Pharma in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, were tested by state authorities and found to contain diethylene glycol (DEG) exceeding permissible limits. "The samples are found to contain DEG beyond the permissible limit," the ministry said in a statement. The statement comes after media reports suggested that recent deaths of nine children in the central state of Madhya Pradesh could have been linked to cough syrup consumption. India has faced scrutiny over the quality of its pharmaceutical exports after the World Health Organisation linked cough syrups made by another company to the deaths of 70 children in Gambia in 2022 — a finding that New Delhi later disputed.
Another candidate, Councillor of the Rajshahi Divisional Sports Association Hasibul Alam, has withdrawn candidacy for the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) election, citing fears of rigging. On Saturday, he arrived at the BCB office and declared that he would no longer take part in the election. “On the 2nd of October, I wrote to the Election Commission. “If things continue like this, the standard of the BCB election will deteriorate even further. “I received a phone call from a foreign number saying Rajshahi councillors were at the Unique Regency Hotel in Dhaka, spread across eight rooms.
Protests in Pakistan's Kashmir called off after demands metA civil rights alliance on Saturday called off protests in Pakistan-ruled Kashmir that had left at least 10 people dead after the government accepted most of its demands. The protesters, led by an alliance of traders and civil rights groups, were demanding more government spending on public projects rather than perks for government functionaries. The Himalayan Kashmir region is divided between Pakistan and neighbouring arch-rival India as a disputed territory since the two countries gained independence from Britain in 1947. Shaukat Nawaz Mir, the alliance's leader, called on the protesters to disperse in Muzaffarabad, the region's capital. Thousands of protesters from nearby towns had converged on Muzaffarabad on Monday, which triggered clashes with security forces.
Yunus says Buddha’s lessons crucial for peace and harmony in turbulent worldGlobal stability and peace could greatly benefit from the teachings of Gautama Buddha, Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus says. On Saturday, Yunus highlighted Buddha’s commitment to non-violence, equality, and fraternity, saying Buddha’s message of peace continues to shine as a beacon for humanity. His ideals of building a harmonious society through peace and unity remain crucial in addressing today’s global instability,” Yunus said. He said Buddha’s teachings have been warmly embraced worldwide, underscoring their universal relevance in fostering peace. He emphasised Bangladesh's reputation as a country of communal harmony, where people of different faiths and ethnicities have coexisted peacefully for generations.
The body of Ahmad Rafiq has been taken to the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka, where people from all walks of life are paying their last respects to the Language Movement veteran. Due to residential issues at Fazlul Haque Hall, however, he transferred to Dhaka Medical College. Rafiq participated in the 1952 Language Movement, working closely with students from different campuses. He was the only student from Dhaka Medical College to have an arrest warrant issued against him in 1954. Rafiq received numerous accolades, including the Ekushey Padak, Bangla Academy Award, and Rabindra Sahitya Award for his contributions to literature.
Shubman Gill was named India's 50-overs captain on Saturday in place of Rohit Sharma, who was named in the squad along with batting stalwart Virat Kohli for three one-day internationals in Australia this month. Both Rohit and Kohli have quit Test cricket and T20 Internationals and are only available for India only in the 50-over format. Gill took over as Test captain after Rohit quit the long format in May, and he is vice captain of India's T20 squad led by Suryakumar Yadav. Rohit and Kohli last played for India in the Champions Trophy final in March in which they beat New Zealand. India will play three ODIs in Australia followed by five T20 Internationals.
Astronomers have predicted that Ramadan will begin on Feb 19, a Thursday, in the UAE and other Middle Eastern countries. So, the start of Ramadan is expected to fall on Feb 19. Al Jarwan said the fasting period will begin at 12 hours and 46 minutes, gradually increasing to 13 hours and 25 minutes by the end of the month. He also mentioned that the daylight hours will start at 11 hours and 32 minutes, rising to 12 hours and 12 minutes by Ramadan’s conclusion. The start of Ramadan is annually determined by the moon sighting, which is officially confirmed after the 29th of Shaban in the Islamic lunar calendar.
BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed has insisted the party will not yield to pressure from any political party. Without naming any specific party, the BNP Standing Committee member said: “None of us has the right to change the Constitution without a lawful, valid, and constitutional process. Additionally, Islamist party Khelafat Majlis announced an 11-day programme, including a mass procession in Dhaka, on a five-point demand, including the legal basis of the July Charter. However, the BNP and a few other parties strongly oppose it and are calling for direct voting under the current system. The BNP has been demanding that the reforms mentioned in the July Charter that require constitutional amendments should be left to the next elected parliament.
Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mohammad Anwar Hossain was injured in the assault on Saturday and later transferred to Rajarbagh Police Hospital in Dhaka after receiving first aid at Narsingdi Sadar Hospital. On their way back, the team detained two men accused of extorting tolls from autorickshaw drivers. Dr Farida Gulshana Kabir, resident medical officer at Narsingdi Sadar Hospital, said: “Anwar Hossain received primary care. “No attack took place. “At one point, when they shoved Anwar Hossain.
The Jumma Chhatra-Janata has called off a blockade that had been enforced for four days in Khagrachhari following unrest triggered by the alleged rape of a Marma teenager. The decision was announced on Saturday in a statement issued by the group’s media cell. The group added that on Oct 1, a second round of discussions was held with the Khagrachhari district administration, police, and intelligence officials to address recent violence in Khagrachhari and Guimara. “In the meeting, we clearly presented our eight-point demand, which included the withdrawal of Section 144 and exemplary punishment for those responsible for the killings. The administration assured us that steps would be taken to implement our demands, and informed us that Tk 50,000 in cash would be provided to the families of the martyrs,” the statement said.
The Jumma Chhatra-Janata has called off a blockade that had been enforced for four days in Khagrachhari following unrest triggered by the alleged rape of a Marma teenager. The group added that on Oct 1, a second round of discussions was held with the Khagrachhari district administration, police, and intelligence officials to address recent violence in Khagrachhari and Guimara. Amid the unrest, a ban on gatherings under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure was imposed on Sept 28 in Guimara. The district administration later formed a five-strong investigation team to probe the Guimara violence. Since then, the unrest in Khagrachhari has died down.
Another candidate has withdrawn from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) election, deepening concerns about the credibility of the process amid mounting allegations of irregularities. On Saturday, he arrived at the BCB office and declared that he would no longer take part in the election, citing fears of rigging. “On the 2nd of October, I wrote to the Election Commission. “If things continue like this, the standard of the BCB election will deteriorate even further. I may contact him again soon for an update.”According to the Election Commission, 35 voters are due to cast ballots in Category 1 in the Oct 6 poll -- 19 through e-voting and 16 in person.
India cruised to victory over West Indies by an innings and 140 runs within three days of the opening Test in Ahmedabad on Saturday, taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. The hosts were on the ascendancy after bundling out West Indies for 162 in the tourists' first innings at the Narendra Modi Stadium. For the second time in the match, the West Indies top order wilted almost on cue against India's incisive bowling backed by their sharp catching. Left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav uprooted rival captain Roston Chase's off-stump to reduce West Indies to 35-4. Jayden Seales (22) produced an entertaining cameo but it was not enough for West Indies to avoid an innings defeat.
