Five people were killed in a head-on collision between two buses in Mallikpur area of Kanaipur Union of Faridpur Sadar Upazila on the Dhaka-Khulna highway. Besides, 9 people were injured in this incident. The injured are being treated at Faridpur Medical College Hospital.

The accident took place on Tuesday (October 15) at around 4:00 AM in the head-on collision between two buses, Jhenaidah Paribahan and Jhenaidah bound Green Express. The names of those killed were not immediately known.

Confirming the truth of the incident, Karimpur Highway Police Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mohammad Salauddin Chowdhury said that efforts are underway to identify the names and identities of all the victims. The two buses involved in the accident were recovered and brought to the Karimpur Highway Police Station. 

The scene of two brides fighting with one husband is seen in the movie. Something that sometimes happens in reality. But this is the first time that the two organizations are struggling with a ghat! Kumira-Guptachara Ghat is the main seaway connecting Sandwip upazila, an isolated island in the heart of the Bay of Bengal, with mainland Sitakunda. Two government organizations, Zilla Parishad and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), are involved in a dispute over the ownership of that ghat.

From the beginning, the Zilla Parishad was managing this ghat as the owner. But a decade ago, BIWTA suddenly claimed the ownership of this ghat. The issue of conflict between the two parties is even brought up to the court. The BIWTA authorities became 'silent' when the court ruled in favor of the Zilla Parishad. But after breaking the silence in 2023, BIWTA once again took possession of the ghat. Now along with the Zilla Parishad they are also claiming the ownership of the ghat and giving lease.

Although Zilla Parishad and BIWTA are busy 'honey extracting' through leases, the two organizations are not doing anything visible for the development of the ghat. As a result, anger fell on the service. Harassment of Sandwip residents is also extreme. The two lessees are in trouble even though there is no conflict between them as they have been working together. Because the two companies are taking the revenue, there is pressure on the lessees. And that pressure has also affected the passengers.

BIWTA's 'illegal' intervention!:

Zila Parishad: Kumira-Guptachara Ghat was managed by the organization for ages. But BIWTA authority Ghat in 2012. A dispute started when a man named Abul Kasem Raja was leased. A writ number 11517/2013 was filed in the High Court Division regarding the matter where the judgment was given in favor of the Chattogram Zilla Parishad. Not only BIWTA, but also Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) demanded control of the ghat at one point. Similarly, Civil Petition Nos. 2723/2012 and 2722/2012 were filed in the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, the service also gave final judgment in favor of Chattogram Zilla Parishad. There is no opportunity for BIWTA or BIWTC to interfere with the said ghat due to the judgment of the Supreme Court in favor of the Chattogram Zilla Parishad regarding the ownership and management of the ghat. After the verdict, BIWTC withdrew from ownership of the wharf, but BIWTA-claimed ownership and issued a lease notice.

The fresh conflict between Zilla Parishad and BIWTA started mainly in 2021. In 2013, when a conflict arose between the BIWTA and the Zilla Parishad over the lease of the Kumira-Guptachara Ghat, on March 9, 2014, at the initiative of the then Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, a meeting was held in the presence of two local MPs (Chattogram 3 and Chattogram 4), representatives of the BIWTA and the Zilla Parishad-Chattogram. The meeting took place. According to the decision of that meeting, on December 2, 2014, a 6-year agreement was reached with BIWTA and Zilla Parishad on the management of Kumira-Guptachara Ferry Ghat. According to the agreement, the entire lease management of this ghat will be managed by the Zilla Parishad.

After the expiry of the agreement period, Zila Parishad did not want to enter into a new compromise agreement and BIWTA sat down. The argument of the organization was that in 2020, the government declared the entire area from Feni to Patenga as a naval port through a notification. Besides, BIWTA is also given the responsibility of managing the seaports. BIWTA wants to operate the wharf under that Act. Although the court's verdict was in favor of the Zilla Parishad, which has been running for ages.

Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officer Shabbir Iqbal alleged that BIWTA is interfering illegally despite the court order. He said, 'BIWTA and BIWTC are obstructing the Zilla Parishad in the proper management of the ghat due to the conspiracy of some interested parties. There is a judgment of the full bench of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court that the ghat belongs to Chattogram Zilla Parishad. Such a judgment of the Appellate Division is not open to anyone else to claim ownership. Unwanted interference by BIWTA, BIWTC or any other party during the management of the ghat by the Zilla Parishad with the consent of all parties is not only a violation of the law, but also an unwanted obstacle to the improvement of the environment and passenger service of the ghat. Shabbir Iqbal seeks the cooperation of all parties in managing the ghat properly.

However, Deputy Director of BIWTA-Chattogram Division. Kamruzzaman said, "The government has identified the area as a naval port. Because of this, no one else has the opportunity to dominate this ghat. That's why we have been managing since the financial year 2023-24.

Presently the lessee of Zilla Parishad is M/s Adil Enterprises. The owner of this company is Azmain Adil Chowdhury. The Zilla Parishad has to pay Rs 93,500 per day including VAT as lease to the institution. On the other hand BIWTA has M/s RK Enterprise as its lessee. The owner of the company. BIWTA has to pay approximately Tk 82 lakh including VAT as lease to Jaglul Hossain Nayan.

Suffering Islanders:

The islanders are suffering the most from the tug of war between two organizations over a ghat. A ghat is leased by two parties for a large amount of money, but no one is working to develop the ghat. As a result, the sea route from Sandwip to Chittagong is waiting for the passengers to suffer. To get rid of this suffering, the government constructed two jetties at a cost of 25 crores. Neither of these two jetties constructed through BIWTA have brought the expected benefits to the people of Sandwip. A part of the jetty built in the Guptachara part of Sandwip collapsed five months after its inauguration    in the head And Chittagong's Kumira broke into pieces in May 2022. In just 10 years, the sufferings of the two jetties have increased. Although there is a jetty, passengers have to wade through waist-deep water and mud to reach the shore during low tide. The passengers who came on the ship were also brought down in waist-deep water by 'red boat'. Children, elderly, women and sick patients are fluctuating with extreme risk. Not only that, if the weather changes, the life of the people of the island will come to a standstill. The people of Sandwip hope that the dispute between the two organizations will be resolved soon. Then as the suffering in their journey will be reduced, the suffering will also be removed.

Co-chairman and former mayor of Rangpur City Corporation, Mustafizar Rahman Mostafa, coordinator of the anti-discrimination student movement, Sarjis Alam and Hasnat Abdullah, were declared unwanted in Rangpur in the joint meeting of Jatiya Party's district and metropolis.

He made this announcement among the leaders and activists present at the joint meeting of district and metropolis at Rangpur Central Road Jatiya Party office on Monday (October 14).

In his speech, Jatiya Party co-chairman and former mayor Mostafizar Rahman Mostafa said that Sarjis Alam and Hasnat Abdullah announced on Facebook not to invite Jatiya Party to political dialogue - they will not be able to come to Rangpur. He will sit in this Rangpur party office with whatever he has. We want to show the strength of Jatiya Party in Rangpur. If we can't popularize this movement, we will leave the Jatiya Party.

He told everyone the writings mentioned by Sarjis Alam and Hasnat, written by Sarjis Alam, how does the chief adviser of spineless fascist brokers like Jatiya Party call for discussion?

Hasnat wrote, "If the Jatiya Party, a friend of dictatorship, is invited to dialogue, we will strongly protest and strongly oppose that suicidal decision."

Expressing his anger over the writings of Sarjis and Hasnat, he said that no program of Sarjis Alam and Hasnat Abdullah will be allowed on the ground of Rangpur. The activists supported him with slogans in this decision.

In his speech, he also said, through this speech, Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police, DIG, Commissioner of Police - I want to inform you that there is no discussion except Jatiya Party. If the Jatiya Party is not called or given respect in any political dialogue in Rangpur, then the Jatiya Party itself will claim its rights. You will be ready for this.

It should be noted that the chief advisor of the interim government Dr. Mohammad Yunus recently is having dialogues with the political parties of the country on various issues including elections. Among them, Sarjis Alam and Hasnat Abdullah, one of the coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement, expressed their anger regarding the dialogue of the Chief adviser with the Jatiya Party. They expressed their anger by posting about this on their respective Facebook pages at midnight on October 7.

Chattogram bureau: The religious affairs adviser AFM Khalid Hossain of the interim government visited Al Jamiatul Islamia Obaidia Nanupur, the ancient religious educational institution of Fatichari, Chattogram.

On Monday (October 14), the authorities organized a reception to mark his arrival at the Jamia. The students of the madrasa welcomed the guest by chanting slogans.

Principal of Jamia Maulana Salah Uddin Nanupuri gave a special honor crest to the chief guest on the occasion.

During the reception, the religious adviser said that Jamia Obaidiya has been providing religious services for many years. Lakhs of students are engaged in the service of religion all over Bangladesh after leaving this madrasa. The teachers of this Jamia are highly experienced, skilled and knowledgeable scholars. The valuable service you are rendering by acquiring knowledge from them and imparting that knowledge will be written in golden letters in the pages of history.

The religious adviser also said, 'We have taken the responsibility of running the state at a very critical time. We have no reserve. We have taken responsibility at a time of deteriorating law and order in the country, the situation is slowly improving with your help. Mutual love is growing. We have gained the trust of the people. We don't have much time. We did not come to rule the country. We have come to clear the way for those who will lead the country in the future.

AFM Khalid Hossain said, people's expectations are high towards us. You strengthen our hands. Stand by us. We may make mistakes. Please advise us. We want to move towards the greater good. If we fail this country will fail. If for some reason we fail to reach the target, the country will face disaster.

Stating that we are slowly going towards the elections, the religious adviser said, we are slowly going towards the elections. We will update the voter list. We will decorate the election commission. When the situation is normal, we will organize the national elections. In the past many people of this country did not see the voting. Now you can vote for the candidate of your choice from 8 AM to 4 PM during daylight hours. We will leave by handing over power to the candidate chosen by your vote.

Nanupur Jamia Obaidiya Madrasa Director General Allama Shah Salauddin Nanupuri presided over the reception as special guests, Allama Mueeddin Nischintapuri, Allama Rafiq, Allama Qutubuddin Nanupuri, UNO Mozammel Haque Chowdhury of Fatikchari and others.

At the end of the program, Jamia Director Maulana Salahuddin Nanupuri led a special prayer seeking the welfare of the country and the nation. After the prayers, the religious advisor visited the grave of Jamia's former director, Qutb Alam Allama Shah Zamiruddin Nanupuri (RA). After visiting the activities of the madrasa, he expressed his satisfaction and advised the students to concentrate on their studies.