National
7 Rohingyas Among Nine Dead in Cox’s Bazar Landslides
At least nine people, including seven Rohingyas, lost their lives in landslides triggered by heavy torrential rains at the Ukhiya Rohingya camp in Cox’s Bazar yesterday.
Cox’s Bazar Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Mizanur Rahman confirmed the tragic events, stating that the fatalities occurred in four separate landslides between midnight and the morning of Wednesday, June 19.
The landslides struck camps 8, 9, 10, and 14 in the Ukhiya Rohingya camp area. In camp 10, four victims were identified as Abu Meher, 25, Shahana, 22, Abul Kalam, 50, and Selima Khatun, 45. In camp 9, the victims were Md Hossain, 50, and Anwara Begum, 18. The identities of the victims from camps 8 and 14 remain unknown.
Commissioner Rahman detailed that four individuals were killed in a landslide at Block-C3 in camp 10, with their bodies recovered during a rescue operation by two fire service units. Two more bodies were retrieved after another landslide at Block-I4 in camp 9 around 3:00 AM. Additionally, three individuals were killed in landslides at camps 8 and 14 around 4:00 AM. No injuries have been reported from these incidents.
Officer-in-Charge of Ukhiya police station, Shamim Hossain, reported that among the nine victims were a four-year-old boy, a 12-year-old boy, and several women. The victims were reportedly asleep when the landslides struck.
The region has been experiencing continuous rain since last night, with the torrential downpour expected to persist for another two to three days, according to the Met office.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecasted light to moderate rain or thundershowers accompanied by temporary gusty winds at most places across the Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions. Some areas may experience moderately heavy to very heavy rainfall, according to their latest weather bulletin released on Thursday.
Day and night temperatures are expected to remain nearly unchanged across the country.
The highest rainfall in the country over the past 24 hours was recorded in Kumarkhali, with 104mm of rain by 6 a.m. on Thursday.
The axis of the monsoon trough extends from India’s Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal to Assam, passing through Bangladesh, with one of its associated troughs stretching into the North Bay of Bengal.
The monsoon remains active over Bangladesh and moderate to strong over the North Bay region.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) has forecasted that the mild heat wave currently affecting parts of the country, including the capital, is expected to subside in most areas within the next 24 hours, starting from 9 am today.
“A mild heat wave is sweeping across the divisions of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh, and Sylhet, as well as the districts of Jashore, Chuadanga, and Kushtia. It is likely to ease in most regions,” the department reported.
In addition, BMD predicted light to moderate rainfall or thundershowers, accompanied by temporary gusty winds, across most of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram, and Sylhet divisions. Some areas are expected to experience moderate to very heavy rainfall.
Temperatures across the country may drop by 1-2 degrees Celsius during both day and night.
On Monday, Dinajpur in the Rangpur division recorded the country’s highest temperature at 38.6°C, while Bandarban in the Chattogram division saw the lowest temperature at 24.6°C early today.
Meanwhile, rainfall recorded in the past 24 hours, ending at 6 am today, reached 66 mm in Nikli of Dhaka Division.
The sunset in Dhaka is at 5:53 pm today, and sunrise is expected at 5:49 am tomorrow.
Two separate murder cases were filed today in connection with the deaths of a private service holder and a Madrasa student during the anti-discrimination student movement.
The first case was lodged by Ridwan Ahmed with Panchlaish police station, accusing former ministers Dr. Hasan Mahmud, Barrister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Naufel, and 127 others for the death of his nephew Sujan, 14. Sujan, the son of Belal Hossain from Beramara village in Noakhali’s Sadar Thana, was a student at Al Jamirul Hayat Madrasa in the city’s Chandgaon area. He was fatally shot in the Muradpur area on July 18.
The second case was filed by Jamal Uddin at Doublemooring police station, accusing 225 individuals, including Dr. Hasan Mahmud and Education Minister Barrister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Naufel, for the killing of his elder brother Alam, a private service holder, on August 5.
