United News of Bangladesh

A project to reduce chronic waterlogging, improve roads, and ensure safe drinking water in Sylhet City Corporation has been delayed again, increasing the cost by nearly 44 per cent. Waterlogging remains a serious problem in Sylhet city, causing long-term hardship for residents despite repeated attempts to tackle the issue. Millions of taka have been spent, but results have largely fallen short of expectations. Officials at Sylhet City Corporation said several plans were drawn up after the devastating 2022 floods to protect residents, but implementation has been limited. Read more: COMFLOT West project extended by 2 years; cost nearly doubles The cost of the project titled Alleviation of Waterlogging, Supply of Safe Water and Infrastructure Development of Sylhet City Corporation (Second Revised) has increased mainly due to prolonged implementation delays and an expanded scope of work, according to official documents. It was originally approved at Tk 1,228.02 crore and it has now stood at Tk 1,766.05 crore, reflecting an increase of about Tk 538 crore. The Local Government Division is the sponsoring authority while Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) is implementing the project. According to the Planning Commission documents, the bulk of the revised cost, Tk 1,520.56 crore will come from government funds, with the remaining Tk 245.49 crore to be met from SCC’s own resources. The project was initially scheduled for implementation between January 2020 and December 2023. Its timeline was later extended to December 2024 under the first revision, followed by a further extension to June 2025 without any cost escalation. Under the second revision, the completion deadline has been pushed back again to June 2026, citing the need for additional and more durable works. Officials said the revised scope reflects Sylhet’s vulnerability to heavy rainfall and upstream hill flows, which frequently cause severe waterlogging and damage to roads. Read more: Bangladesh Bank to launch Tk 10,000 crore bond for housing, rail projects To ensure long-term sustainability, the project now places greater emphasis on RCC roads, drains and retaining walls instead of conventional surfacing. Major components of the project include construction of 269.18 kilometres of roads and 363.92 kilometres of drains, along with 6.73 kilometres of retaining walls. The plan also covers 22.75 kilometres of road dividers with tree plantation, slope protection works using CC blocks and RCC retaining walls, and construction of boundary walls stretching 12.71 kilometres. One public toilet and 1.37 kilometres of steel railings along large drains are also included to enhance public safety. To improve urban services, the project include installation of 236.05 kilometres of water pipelines and 263.50 kilometres of electrical works, including an expanded number of streetlights to ensure safer night-time movement in newly extended city areas. Besides, 74 units of essential machinery and vehicles will be procured to support regular excavation and maintenance of 13 major canals and streams flowing through the city. The revision also accounts for increased road repairs including asphalt overlay on roads already showing cracks and potholes, and reconstruction of boundary walls demolished with homeowners’ consent during road widening. Sylhet’s Gowainghat house fire caused by short circuit, police confirm no communal link As of June 2025, the project’s cumulative expenditure stands at Tk 2,186.51 crore, with financial progress at 92.09 per cent and physical progress at 92.50 per cent, according to official records. The Planning Commission, in its recommendation, said successful completion of the project would significantly enhance civic amenities in Sylhet City Corporation by improving roads, drainage, footpaths and the supply of safe drinking water, thereby boosting overall urban resilience in one of the country’s most rain-prone regions.

Solaiman Chowdhury Shihab, joint convener of Islamic University's (IU) Chhatra Dal unit, has filed a penal case against Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami nominated candidate Mufti Amir Hamza over alleged defamatory remarks. The complaint alleges that during a Waz Mahfil, Amir Hamza mocked the late Arafat Rahman Koko, son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, and made offensive comments about Khaleda Zia’s imprisonment. Shihab said he saw videos of the remarks on social media on January 16. The petition requests the court to issue a summons or arrest warrant under sections 500, 501, and 502 of the Penal Code. Advocate Abdul Majid, the petitioner’s lawyer, said the court has taken the case under consideration and scheduled a hearing for February 1. Pickup–Nasimon collision in Kushtia leaves one dead When contacted regarding the case, Mufti Amir Hamza’s personal assistant Abu Bakar said they have not yet received any notice from the court. “Once a notice is served, we will take appropriate legal action,” he added. Earlier, Amir Hamza had claimed on his verified Facebook page that he had received death threats. In the post, he urged followers to care for his three daughters in his absence and pledged to continue his fight for justice in Kushtia.

Security will be heightened ahead of the Shahjalal University Central Students’ Union (SUCSU) election on January 20, with more than 300 police personnel and BNCC members to be deployed. Assistant Proctor Professor Dr. Saiful Islam said at a coordination meeting at the Proctor’s Office on Sunday evening that special teams would be deployed at the main gate, pocket gates, and other important points across the campus to maintain law and order. EC approves SUCSU elections for Jan 20, stresses compliance with code of conduct He added that only university-stickered vehicles, rickshaws, and auto-rickshaws would be allowed on campus, while other vehicles would be barred. A medical team will also be on duty during the election. SUST authorities said the arrangement is to ensure a peaceful and fair vote.

Power generation at Unit-1 of the Barapukuria Thermal Power Plant in Dinajpur was suspended on Sunday (January 18, 2026) after a boiler tube burst, bringing electricity production at the plant to a complete halt. As a result, all three units of the plant, with a combined capacity of 525 megawatts (MW), are now out of operation. Read more: Child killed, 15 injured as bus overturns in Dinajpur Abu Bakar Siddique, chief engineer of the power plant, said that of the three units, Unit-1, with a capacity of 125 MW, had been generating around 60 MW of electricity at the time of the incident. “The boiler tube of Unit-1 burst around 11am due to excessive heat pressure. The water flowing inside the boiler has a temperature of around 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit,” he said. He added that it may take about a week for the boiler to cool down, after which the extent of the damage can be assessed. “If repairs are completed successfully, power generation can be resumed,” he said. Meanwhile, Unit-3, which has a capacity of 275 MW, has been shut down for overhauling work being carried out by Chinese engineers, while Unit-2 (125 MW) has remained out of operation for a long time due to technical faults. As a result, the coal-fired power plant is currently completely shut down. Read more: Big push for renewables: 220 MW Sonagazi solar plant gets green light Officials warned that the shutdown may lead to load-shedding in northern districts, potentially disrupting production at electricity-dependent industries and causing hardship across the region.

Police arrested a man suspected of being involved in a series of five killings at an abandoned community centre in Savar. The accused was arrested on Sunday evening, confirmed Savar Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Arman Ali. The accused, Mashirur Rahman Khan Samrat, also known as “Psycho Samrat” or “Mental,” was arrested following the recovery of two bodies from the second floor of the abandoned community centre near Savar municipality. 2 burnt bodies recovered from abandoned community centre at Savar Police said CCTV footage from the surrounding area helped identify Samrat, who had been moving around the area disguised as a homeless person. During preliminary investigation, the suspect allegedly confessed to his involvement in Sunday’s two murders as well as three earlier killings at the same location. The OC said the case is highly sensitive and brutal, he was detained in a swift operation, further investigation is underway.

Police arrested three youths in Narsingdi’s Raipura upazila on charges of attempted rape and filming the incident on Saturday, registering a case under the Pornography Control Act. Raipura Police Station Officer-in-Charge Md Mujibur Rahman confirmed this incident. The accused are Md Rahim, 18, son of Hasan Mia of nearby Samibad village, Mahbubur Rahman, 28, son of Ayub Mia, and Trisad, 20, son of Rois Uddin of Gazipura. Two arrested over Chhatra Dal activist murder in Narsingdi According to the victim’s complaint, the accused had been harassing her for a long time. On the night of January 15, Mahbubur Rahman allegedly dragged her to a nearby haystack, where Rahim attempted to rape her. The group is also accused of filming the incident and spreading the video on social media. After the matter became known in the area, locals detained Rahim, Mahbubur Rahman and Trisad from Gazipura Bazar and informed police. Police took them into custody, later sent them to jail through court. The OC said that efforts are underway to arrest the remaining suspects.

Six people were killed when a bus hit an auto-rickshaw at Ghatak Kanda in Madaripur Sadar upazila on Sunday. The identities of the deceased could not be known yet. Read more: Minor boy killed in Jatrabari road crash Talha Bin Jashim, an official of the Fire Service and Civil Defense (Media cell), said the accident occurred around 5:25 pm when the bus of ‘Sarbik Paribahan’ crashed into the auto-rickshaw, leaving six dead on the spot. On information, a firefighting unit rushed to the spot and recovered the bodies.

An 11-year-old minor boy was killed when a truck ran over him in Jatrabari area of the capital early Sunday. The deceased was identified as Md Zahid, 11. Inspector Md Faruk, in-charge of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) police camp, said the accident occurred around 12:30 am when the truck hit him while crossing the road, leaving him injured. Young man killed in a road accident in Feni Later, he was taken to DMCH where the doctors declared him dead.      

A nine-year-old madrasha student was killed after being hit by a motorcycle in Zakiganj upazila of Sylhet on Saturday. Officer-in-Charge of Zakiganj Police Station Muhammad Abdur Razzaq confirmed this. The accident occurred around 2pm on the Sylhet–Zakiganj road near Shahgali Bazar in Barhal Union. The victim, Zubayer Ahmed,9, was the son of Toku Mia Kabir of Borhanpur village and a student of a local madrasha. Police and local sources said Zubayer was returning home after madrasah classes and was crossing the road when a speeding motorcycle struck him. He was critically injured and died while being taken to Zakiganj Upazila Health Complex. After the incident, the motorcyclist fled the scene. However, an Android mobile phone was found at the spot and recovered by police. The OC said efforts are underway to identify and arrest the motorcyclist using the recovered phone. Legal action is in process.

A five-member investigation committee has been formed by the authorities of Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital following an attack on an intern doctor. The hospital director, Brigadier General Umar Rashed Munir, confirmed the formation of the committee on Saturday. Intern doctors have been on an indefinite strike since the incident, demanding guaranteed safety, though mid-level doctors and other staff are maintaining regular hospital services. According to hospital sources, the clash occurred late Friday night on the fourth floor, Ward 4 of the Surgery Department, during a verbal altercation between interns and patients’ relatives, leaving at least five people injured. Police arrived at the scene and restored order. On Saturday around noon, hospital authorities held talks with the striking interns. After nearly an hour of discussions, the interns decided to continue their strike. “We have presented several demands to the hospital authorities. We will return to work immediately once our concerns, especially regarding workplace safety, are addressed,” said intern doctor Mizanur Rahman. Brigadier General Umar Rashed Munir said, “The safety of our doctors and staff is our top priority. The investigation committee is examining all aspects of the incident, and permanent solutions will be implemented soon.”