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Fire at Leather Warehouse
Authorities Failed to Ensure Fire Safety Despite Multiple Notices
Rtv News
17 Jan 2025, 17:56
Photo: File Picture
A devastating fire broke out at a tannery warehouse owned by Phoenix Leather in the capital's Hazaribagh market area, where no fire safety measures had been implemented despite multiple warnings from the Fire Service.
Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury, Director (Operations and Maintenance) of the Fire Service, informed reporters on Friday afternoon (January 17) that the absence of a safety plan made controlling the blaze extremely difficult. He confirmed that the Fire Service had previously issued several notices urging the building owner to enforce fire safety measures.
It took 12 units of the Fire Service, along with support from the army and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), nearly three hours to bring the fire under control by 4:50 pm.
While the exact cause and full extent of the damage remain unclear, initial reports suggest that stored chemicals in the leather warehouse may have fueled the fire.
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5 Killed in Truck-Auto Rickshaw Collision
Five people, including a child, were killed in a collision between a dump truck and an auto-rickshaw in Pekua, Cox's Bazar. Two others were injured in the accident.
The incident occurred around 7:00 AM on Thursday, December 19, in the Dhoniakata area of the ABC regional highway in Pekua.
Cox's Bazar police spokesperson Jashim Uddin reported that the collision crushed the auto-rickshaw, killing four passengers on the spot and injuring two.
The injured were rescued and admitted to a local hospital. While the dump truck has been seized, the driver and helper are currently on the run, according to the police official.
End to Bank Heist: 3 Robbers Surrender
Three robbers who had taken hostages at the Zinzira branch of Rupali Bank in South Keraniganj, Dhaka, have surrendered. During the operation, three locally made weapons were recovered.
This information was shared by RAB official Khalid Hasan on Thursday evening (December 19).
He stated, "The three robbers inside the bank have surrendered. Locally made weapons have been recovered from their possession."
In a message from RAB, it was revealed that the three robbers had entered the Rupali Bank branch in the Chunkutia area of South Keraniganj, demanding 1.5 million BDT. They later surrendered to a joint force along with three firearms.
Earlier, around 2 PM on Thursday, the robbers entered the bank. The nearby mosque’s loudspeaker was used to alert locals about the robbery, prompting hundreds of people to surround the bank. The bank manager, Shekhar Mondal, was not present at the time of the incident.
Senior officials, including Dhaka District Police Superintendent Ahmad Moid, Assistant Commissioner (Land) of South Keraniganj Revenue Circle Rois Al Rezwan, along with RAB and law enforcement personnel, were present at the scene.
Mild Cold Wave Grips Panchagarh, Temperature Drops to 9.8°C
In Tetulia, Panchagarh, a mild cold wave has caused the temperature to drop again to 9°C, intensifying the feeling of severe cold. Although the sun has been visible since morning, its warmth is lacking.
According to the Meteorological Office, the lowest temperature in Tetulia was recorded at 9.8°C at 6 a.m. on Sunday (December 22).
Meanwhile, the entire Panchagarh region has been gripped by the intensity of the cold. The biting chill has paralyzed daily life, especially between dusk and 10 a.m., when the cold feels most severe.
The situation has worsened the plight of day laborers, who are unable to start work on time. Although the temperature slightly rises as the day progresses, the cold intensifies again in the afternoon.
From night till morning, roads remain covered in dense fog, creating difficulties for vehicle drivers. They have to navigate cautiously with headlights on.
The icy cold winds flowing from the Himalayas and the winter chill have led to a rise in cold-related illnesses. The outpatient departments of hospitals across the district and upazilas are seeing an increasing number of patients suffering from cold-related ailments. Doctors are providing treatment along with advice on prevention and recovery from such illnesses.
Jitendra Nath, Assistant In-Charge of the First-Class Weather Observation Center in Tetulia, said, "The mild cold wave is causing a biting chill. This morning at 6 a.m., the lowest temperature recorded in Tetulia was 9.8°C. The temperature may drop further in the coming days."
10-Vehicle Pileup on Dhaka-Mawa Expressway, Fears of Multiple Casualties
A collision involving 10 vehicles, including buses, occurred on the Dhaka-Mawa Expressway due to dense fog early Sunday morning (December 22) in the Sirajdikhan and Sreenagar areas of Munshiganj. Authorities fear multiple casualties.
The accident began around 4 a.m. with a collision between two cargo trucks. Later, at approximately 7:30 a.m., another bus rammed into a stationary one, injuring several people. Simultaneously, a pickup van struck a private car, causing further injuries.
Highway police and fire service teams rushed to the scene to initiate rescue operations.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abdul Kader Jilani of Hasara Highway Police Station stated, “We are working to clear the damaged vehicles from the road and restore traffic flow. The dense fog in the morning led to multiple collisions.”
He added that five people were injured in the incident and were promptly taken to the upazila health complex for treatment. Police suspect excessive speed combined with poor visibility from the fog as the primary cause of the accidents.
Dhaka's Air Quality Remains Hazardous, Nearing Dangerous Levels
Dhaka's air quality shows no signs of improvement, remaining highly unhealthy with an Air Quality Index (AQI) score of 287 today. Just 13 points more would classify the city's air as dangerous.
According to AQI data from air monitoring agency IQAir at 9:14 a.m. on Sunday (December 22), the capital’s air quality remains alarming.
The IQAir index defines air quality scores as follows:
0–50: Good
51–100: Moderate
101–150: Unhealthy for sensitive groups
151–200: Unhealthy
201–300: Very unhealthy
Above 300: Hazardous or disastrous
Dhaka's latest AQI score places it perilously close to the hazardous threshold.
Switzerland-based IQAir regularly monitors global air pollution levels. According to their report, Dhaka's primary pollutant is fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which poses serious health risks such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and long-term conditions like cancer.
As of today, Delhi, India, tops the pollution index with a hazardous AQI of 598, while Lahore, Pakistan, ranks second with a very unhealthy AQI of 291. Dhaka follows closely in third place with a score of 287.
Chhatra Dal Activist Shot Dead in Narsingdi
A member of the Chhatra Dal (BNP's student wing) was shot and killed by assailants while playing badminton in Narsingdi. The incident occurred around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday (December 21) in the Panchdona area of the sadar upazila.
The deceased, Humayun Kabir, was the son of Ekramul Haque from Panchdona village and an active member of the Meherpara Union Chatra Dal.
According to family members and locals, Humayun was playing badminton in his neighborhood when two individuals, Shah Alam and Titu, called him over to a nearby mosque. They then shot him and fled the scene. He was later rescued and taken to Narsingdi Sadar Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Madhabdi Police Station's Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Nazrul Islam stated, "At some point during the badminton game, unidentified assailants shot Humayun and escaped. It is believed that the murder may be the result of a past dispute."
He added that the police are working to uncover the true motive behind the murder and to arrest the perpetrators.
Ship Robbed in Chandpur's Meghna River, 6 Killed
In the Meghna River of Chandpur, the dead bodies of six people have been recovered from a cargo ship. It is suspected that they may have been killed in a pirate attack.
The bodies were discovered after 1 pm on Monday (December 23).
Lieutenant Colonel Shams, Staff Officer of the Bangladesh Coast Guard (Dhaka Zone), confirmed the incident to the media.
The ship is identified as MV Al-Bakhera, and it was anchored at the time of the discovery.
