Dhaka: The death toll in the student movement has reached 1,581. More than 31 thousand people were injured.

This information was given at the press conference of the health affairs sub-committee of the anti-discrimination student movement at Dhaka University Student-Teacher Center (TSC) on Saturday (September 28) afternoon.

Tarek Reza, member secretary of the sub-committee on health, said at the press conference that most of the victims of the anti-discrimination student movement were young and from poor families. Those aged 18 to 30 years. But this is not final, he said.

Tarek Reza said, As-Sunnah Foundation, Human Rights Support Society, Red July and several other organizations have given us support in the preparation of the list. Apart from this, various local level persons have also assisted us by providing information, which has played an important role in the preparation of this list.

Nasir Uddin Patwari, convener of the civic committee said, we have confirmed this information by calling or directly contacting the martyr's family. But still there may be many more persons who were martyred but their names are not included in this list. We are trying our best through the District Committees to get every name and information verified.

The press conference was attended by Nahida Bushra, Convener of Health Affairs Sub-Committee, Farhad Alam Bhuiyan of IT Team, As-Sunnah Foundation, Human Rights Support Society, Red July Leaders.

Khan Talat Mahmud Rafi, one of the coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement, Chattogram, said that the friends of the Awami League government are still conspiring. If there is another conspiracy to destabilize the country then Bangladesh, Bir Chattala will not remain silent. The noise will come again from this Chattala. War will be declared again.

Khan Talat Mahmud Rafi said this at the July commemoration and cultural  function in memory of the martyrs organized by the cultural organization Bikiran at CRB of the city on Friday (27 September) night.

This student leader, who led the anti-discrimination student movement in Chattogram, also said, 'Many of our brothers were injured in the July Revolution. We always want to talk as a pressure group. I would like to ask why the government has not yet confirmed the treatment of my injured brothers. Why are my injured brothers crying in the hospital and at home due to pain in their eyes, feet, and hands?

Khan Talat Mahmud Rafi criticized the Health Adviser for going outside the country for treatment. He said, "Our Health Adviser has to go outside the country for treatment." I want to say that Bangladesh should have a medical system like Singapore. Or if you go out of the country, you don't need to come back. For the medical system that we have to go to in Dhaka, we have to stay in Chattala as well.

Rafi commented that the strategy of the country can no longer be determined from public buildings. He said, "Earlier the country's strategy was made from public buildings. From today it will be from every people of Bangladesh." We don't want that strategy making of Ganabhaban.'

This coordinator of the anti-discrimination student movement also spoke about Sheikh Hasina's departure from the country. He said, "Students-crowd allowed the police to get their chests in front of the bullets." That bold move started from Chattogram. At one point, the police-Chhatra League-Awami League bullets became ineffective in front of the students. She (Sheikh Hasina) left when she understood that bullets would no longer work.

Rafi commented that even though ‘Master’ is gone, his followers remain. He said, 'They appear in different forms at different times. Sometimes they are coming back as online warriors and sometimes as Rumor League. If you want to create instability again, you can no longer stay on the soil of Bengal. That is why the Awami terrorists who are roaming in the open air should be arrested.

Rafi said, "History shows that in times of crisis, we all unite." But when the responsibility of rebuilding the country falls on our shoulders, we are divided. Despotic governments have always wanted to divide and exclude us from everywhere. After the 1971's there was a division, even after the 90's mass upheaval. We students will decide whether we will be divided again, or we will stay in the building of the country. If we are divided then our next generation will have to fight again. We don't want our next generation to bleed."

Bandwidth service of all circuits connected to Kuakata station in Patuakhali will be down for four hours due to maintenance work on the submarine cable system. At this time, internet service may be temporarily disrupted across the country.

Bangladesh Submarine Cables PLC (BSCPLC) informed this information in a circular on Friday (September 27) afternoon.

According to the notification, the country's second submarine cable system consortium established in Kuakata has planned to install submarine cable lighting filters for a total of four hours from 2:00 p.m. on Saturday (September 28) to 6:00 a.m. on Sunday (September 29).

Bandwidth service of all circuits connected to Kuakata station through submarine cable will be closed during this time. However, at the same time, the submarine cable circuits from Cox's Bazar station will continue to operate as usual. Customers may experience temporary Internet slowdowns or Internet-service interruptions during maintenance work. 

Natural beauty is overflowing in the mountains. The artificial Kaptai lake in Rangamati district full to the beam is at its youth due to incessant rains and mountain runoff in the last one month. Looking at the hills surrounded by greenery around the lake is a sight to behold. The suspension bridge, known as one of the icons of the district, has been submerged for the last one and a half months. Hundreds of floating shops built around this bridge are now spending idle time. As there are no tourists, they are living an inhumane life. Hundreds of domestic engine boats are moored on the shores of the vast Kaptai lake.

The tourism sector of Rangamati, one of the tourist districts of the country, has suffered due to various inactivity of regional parties along with political instability across the country. Natural floods, recent communal conflicts, along with political scenario change due to anti-discrimination student movements, have crippled the hill economy. Tourist dependent businessmen of these regions are trying to survive by breaking their capital. Even on World Tourism Day on Friday (September 27), Rangamati did not receive as many tourists as expected.

Due to the instability in the hills, the tourism industry has collapsed in the three districts of Khagrachari, Rangamati and Bandarban in hilly Chattogram. Tourist arrivals in these regions, hot with attacks, clashes, arson and violence at various times, have decreased at a geometric rate.

Recently, after a youth named Mamun (30) was beaten to death in Khagrachari, a new conflict broke out in the hills. Later, in this conflict, Pahari-Bangali went to face-to-face position in different upazilas of hilly districts. The tourist district of Rangamati became heated. Also, after the fall of the Awami League government on August 5, political unrest began across the country. All in all, the country's tourism industry has suffered a major shock.

Tourist boat driver of Rangamati Tourism. Alamgir told Barta24.com that the suspension bridge has been submerged in Kaptai lake for a month. Due to the country's political unrest and clashes in the mountains, there are no tourists. As a result, we are in a lot of trouble. Every year the bridge sinks when the water in the Kaptai lake rises. If the tourism authorities renovate the bridge, it will no longer sink into the water.

Textile shopkeepers said that many tourists have come back due to the sinking of the suspension bridge. They do not sell any products. The bridge sinks every year. As a result, the business suffers losses. If the water goes down from the bridge then tourists will start coming, trade will start.

Meanwhile, as announced by the Rangamati district administration, the three-day ban on entry of tourists to Sajek tourist center, famous for Megher Bari, has passed, but the number of tourists there is not the same as before, the officials said. There are currently 127 resorts and 116 restaurants in Sajek. Many employees have reportedly been laid off due to business losses.

General Secretary of Rangamati Residential Hotel Association Md. Moinuddin Salim said that no tourists have arrived in Rangamati in the last two-three months. There is no booking in residential hotels either. Traders are facing losses of several crores of money.

Alok Bikash Chakma, Manager of Rangamati Tourism and Holiday Complex, said that the suspension bridge of Rangamati has been submerged in water since August 23. The deck of the bridge is still submerged in water. Hopefully, the water on the bridge deck will dry up in a few days. Once again tourists can enjoy the beauty of the bridge.

Meanwhile, the Rangamati Tourism Corporation authorities celebrated the World Tourism Day under the theme 'Tourism is the stepping stone of peace'. A discussion meeting was held in the conference room of the Rangamati Tourism Holiday Complex on Friday (September 27) morning.

Speakers in the meeting said that Chattogram Hill Tracts is a tourism potential region. The tourism industry will further expand if the hilly area can be turned into a modern tourist city by exploiting the tourism potential of the hills. Therefore, everyone is invited to play a cooperative role in promoting mountain tourism from their respective positions.