Jhut warehouses gutted in fire

UNB, Gazipur

Eight warehouses of jhut (waste fabric from woven and knit garments) were gutted in a fire at Ambag in the city’s Konabari area yesterday. Mirajul Islam, an official of local Fire Service and Civil Defense, said the fire originated at a warehouse owned by one Jahangir Alam around 3:15am and spread rapidly. It took six firefighting units more than an hour to extinguish the blaze. The cause of the fire could not be known yet. Alam owned all eight warehouses. He claimed that the fire had caused a loss of Tk 1 crore.

Biman sweeper detained with 4 kg gold at Ctg airport

BSS, Chattogram

The Customs Intelligence and Investigation Department (CIID) officials detained a man with four kilograms gold at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram yesterday. The detainee Mohammad Ilias is a sweeper of Bangladesh Biman. Reazaul Islam, Deputy Commissioner of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate (CIID), told BSS that based on information, the officials recovered the gold bars from his possession. He said the sweeper entered a Fly Dubai flight that landed in Chattogram airport at 11am yesterday from UAE, to clean. He was caught red-handed with the gold bars weighting 4kgs, the customs intelligence officer added. The market value of the seized gold is Taka two crore, sources said. A case will be filed in this connection.

Battery-run rickshaw drivers continue hunger strike

Staff Reporter, Barishal

Over a hundred owners and drivers of battery-run rickshaw continued their hunger strike unto death for the second consecutive day yesterday protesting Barishal Metropolitan Police (BMP) and Barishal City Corporation’s (BCC) decision to ban the vehicles from five major roads of the city. The protesters under the banner of ‘Battery-run Rickshaw Sangram Committee’ started the hunger strike on the Ashwini Kumar Hall premises in the city on Wednesday.  Twenty of them fell sick and took primary treatment on the spot. The drivers alleged that this ban will cause woes for around 3,000 families.

200 establishments evicted

BSS, Chattogram

Bangladesh Railway (BR) in a special drive yesterday evicted over 200 establishments built near CRB area in the city and recovered about 30 acres of land. A team of railway’s Eastern Zone conducted the five-hour eviction drive led by divisional commercial officer (DCO) Anser Ali. “We have evicted over 200 makeshift houses and other establishments from the area yesterday upon the directives from the BR authority”, The DCO said adding that the drives to continue for recovering other lands of BR in the port city.

24th anniv of music magazine ‘Sargam’ celebrated

BSS, Dhaka

‘The Sargam,’ a monthly magazine on music, completed its 24th year of publication this year. State Minister of Information Dr Md Murad Hasan attended the celebration programme as chief guest. He cut a cake with other guests including lyricist KG Mustafa, veteran cultural personality Ramendu Majumder, Musician Azad Rahman, Masud Ahmed, lyricist Shaidullah Faraizi, singer Yesmeen Mushtari, Rupu Khan, Ulka Hossain and Editor Kazi Rownak Hossain at Jatiya Press.