The pirates could not yet been contacted; the ransom story is a creation of the media



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
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Almost two days have passed since the ship MV Abdullah was hijacked by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean, but the pirates have not contacted any of the concerned parties in Bangladesh. And even from the side of Bangladesh, the bandits could not be contacted so far. The information of the ransom published by the media is only a creation of the media, said the Maritime Affairs Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rear Admiral (retd.) Md. Khurshed Alam.

On Thursday (March 14) an inter-ministerial meeting was held under the chairmanship of Khurshed Alam on what to do to rescue Bangladeshi sailors held hostage by pirates. After the meeting, he told this to the reporters.

He said, our ship did not pass through the high risk area. Still they (the pirates) were waiting. Maybe they didn't get a ship. That's why it's hijacked. After taking over the ship, they left for Somalia. They anchored the ship near Somalia early today.

Khurshed Alam said, I still don't know what their demands are. If we do find out, we may not be able to strategically inform you (the media) fully. They will see such reports in the media. But when they see that the government is under pressure, they will increase their demand.

He said we are trying. The Minister of Shipping Ministry spoke. Our DG Shipping is with us. We spoke to the owner of the ship. We are in constant contact with almost all parties.

Regarding the safe return of the sailors, the Maritime Affairs Secretary said that the process has already started. Our first objective is to repatriate the 23 sailors and the ship's cargo. We will not deviate from that goal. Maybe I can give you good news soon.

Maritime Affairs Secretary highlighted the incident of hijacking of Bangladeshi ships earlier. He said, we have previous experience in this regard. A ship named Jahanmani faced such an incident in 2010. We were able to bring the ship back after 100 days. Then there was another incident, the Malaysian ship Albedo. We had seven Bangladeshi sailors there. Khurshed Alam said, if you see - it took a hundred days to bring Jahanmani. And it took three years and four months to bring the seven sailors from the Malaysian ship. So time is a matter. It is not right to expect that there will be much sensational news.

The pirates took control of the ship around 1:30 PM Bangladesh time on Tuesday. The ship was en route from Mozambique to Dubai. This ship of Chattogram's Kabir Group, which is under the control of pirates, is being operated by SR Shipping Limited, the subsidiary of the group. There are 23 Bangladeshi sailors on board.

   

8 buses of Itishah Paribahan detained in JU, released for Tk. 60 thousand



JU Correspondent, Barta24.com, Savar(Dhaka)
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The private car of the sister of a 47th batch student of Computer Science and Engineering Department of Jahangirnagar University (JU) was damaged when a bus of Itihasa Paribahan plying on Dhaka-Aricha highway suddenly braked. In this incident, 8 buses were seized and some students demanded compensation of Tk. 1 lakh 31 thousand. Jasim Howladar, the checker of Itishah Paribahan, confirmed that the buses were released around 7:30 pm after the compensation of Tk. 60,000 was paid.

The incident took place at Shimultala area of Savar on Dhaka-Aricha highway around 9 am on Saturday (April 27). Later, when the sister of the owner of the damaged vehicle told her friends on the campus, they intercepted the buses bound for Aricha between 10 am and 12:30 pm on the Dhaka-Aricha highway near the main gate of the University.

According to eyewitnesses, around 10 am, when a motorcycle was taking a U-turn from the middle lane of the highway in Savar's Radio Colony area, a bus of Itishah Paribahan braked and stopped on the road. Then, when a bus of Savar Paribahan behind the bus of Itishah Paribahan also braked, the private car of the elder sister of a student of the 47th batch of Jahangirnagar University hit the back of the bus. The front of the car was twisted. Later, when JUs student told the incident to her department friends, they appeared on the Dhaka-Aricha highway and intercepted 8 buses of Itishah Paribahan and took the keys.

The driver of a bus of Itihash Paribahan said about the arrest of the bus. Driver Sagar told Barta24.com that when one of our (Itihas) buses braked hard at Savar's Shimultala, a Savar transport bus behind could not handle the speed and knocked our bus behind. And when Savar Paribahan's bus braked, a private car behind hit the back of Savar Paribahan's bus. The front part of the private car was damaged. Due to this, Savar transport bus was not stopped but our buses were stopped.

In this regard, the JU student who was in the damaged private car said that after such a big incident, the bus pulled away quickly without seeing whether someone was dead or alive. Then the driver of my private car got on the Itishah Paribahan bus and asked why he braked so hard, the bus driver and his colleague abused and threatened him and got him off the bus. We want road safety.

Meanwhile, around 7:00 p.m., it can be seen on the ground that 5 buses of Itishah Paribahan are standing in a row on one side of the Dhaka-Aricha highway in front of the main gate of the University. Some of the co-drivers are chatting in the car, while others are sitting on the road. Talking to the driver and staff, it is learnt that although 8 buses were detained, the students forgot to take the keys from 3 buses. Later those three buses left.

The checker of Savar to Jirani route Jasim Howladar confirmed to Barta24.com that when the bus owner was demanded a compensation of Tk. 1 lakh 31 thousand as the private car was damaged, the bus owner authorities settled the matter for Tk. 60 thousand. Jasim Howlader.

He said that the private car was damaged after colliding with the Savar Paribahan bus. But by blocking our bus they are demanding compensation of 1 lakh 31 thousand rupees. It's no fair talk! Even then, both sides discussed and took the keys of the car with a compensation of Tk. 60,000.

To learn about this incident, the newly appointed proctor of the University made several attempts to contact Dr. Alamgir Kabir on his mobile phone but he did not respond.

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MV Abdullah will reach Chattogram in the middle of May!



Special Correspondent, Barta24.com, Chattogram bureau
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MV Abdullah, freed from Somali pirates, is likely to reach Chattogram by the end of next month. The ship, which is located in the United Arab Emirates, unloaded the goods at the port of Hamria on Saturday night (April 27) and left for another port called Mina Saqar. From there we will leave for Chattogram with new products. It may take up to mid-May to reach the country.

Mizanul Islam, media adviser of the ship's owner, KSRM, confirmed the matter. He said, 23 sailors will return by ship. However, it may take them till the middle of May to return to Chattogram.

On March 12, MV Abdullah with 23 sailors was captured by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean though it was 576 nautical miles from the coast of Somalia. After taking hostages, the pirates took the ship ashore. After 32 days of hostage taking, the bandits got off the ship on Saturday after receiving the ransom. After that, the sailors left for the United Arab Emirates with the ship.

After being freed from pirates off the coast of Somalia, the ship passed through the Gulf of Aden and reached the port of Al Hamria in the United Arab Emirates in the afternoon of April 21, off the coast of Oman. After unloading coal there, the ship is going to Mina Saqar to take new products. After that, the wait will be over for the sailors and their families. The sailors will leave for their homeland.

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Only promise to bring healthcare to people's doorstep: Health Minister



District Correspondent, Barta24.com, Narail
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Health and Family Welfare Minister of Bangladesh Government Dr. Samant Lal Sen said, I know a lot about the health sector. My only promise after I take office is that I will bring healthcare to the doorsteps of the people, so that the marginalized people get healthcare!

He made this comment in the discussion meeting at the conference room of the district hospital after the inauguration of the newly constructed building of Narail 250-bed hospital on Saturday (April 27) afternoon.

The health minister said, if there is a good hospital and Operation Theater in Narail, then the patients will not go to Dhaka or Jashore. In big hospitals, patients cannot walk under pressure. If we can provide good treatment here, patients will not go to Dhaka. I saw two beautiful hospitals in Narail! If both the hospitals can be opened, many people will be benefitted. I will definitely work on this!

Dr. Samant Lal Sen said, if the parliamentarians of the whole country had thought of the hospital the way Mashrafe thought of it, then the health care of Bangladesh would have gone much higher. If the members of parliament go to the hospital in their respective areas and do their own check-ups, then the public's confidence will increase. If they go abroad by word of mouth, then people's trust will not come.

Also present on the occasion were Whip of National Assembly and Member of Parliament for Narail-2 Mashrafe Bin Murtaza, Director General of Health Directorate Abul Basar Mohammad Khurshid Alam, Additional Director General (Planning and Development) of Health Mirzadi Sabrina Flora, Narail Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Ashfaqul Haque Chowdhury, Superintendent of Police. Mohammad Mehdi Hasan, Civil Surgeon Dr. Sajeda Begum, district hospital superintendent Dr. Md. Abdul Gaffar and many others.

By the way, before this, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, the Minister of Health Dr. Samanta Lal Sen inaugurated the newly constructed building of Upazila Health Complex with 31 beds in Lohagara Upazila of the district. # edited by MS/0720 Hours/28.4.24

 

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Rebel used to deal in drugs under the guise of a musician



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
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Enamul Kabir Rebel has been caught dealing drugs under the guise of a musician.

Police arrested this musician from Rampura area of the capital on Friday (April 26) night with crystal meth (ice) worth crores of takas.

Additional Deputy Police Commissioner of DMP Khilgaon Zone Rashedul Islam in a press conference at noon on Saturday (April 27) said that Enamul Kabir is a musician of 'Uchcharan' band. He used to deal in drugs under the guise of musician.

He said, Rebel used to work in the team of drug dealer MD. Ripon alias Leetu alias Bhaijaan. According to the information given by him (Rebel), Badda area. Litu's residence was raided. Although Litu was not found in the raid, various evidences including drugs were seized from his house.

This police officer said that Rebel and his driver Ami used to cooperate in Litu's drug trade. Rebel had been assisting Litu in his drug trade for over five years.

He also said that Rebel met Litu from an event. Later a friendly relationship developed between them.

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