Dhaka:&nbsp;A massive blaze, followed by a powerful explosion at a private container depot in Bangladesh’s Chittagong district has killed a total of 43 people, including seven firefighters, and injured some 500 others of which 10 of them were police personnel, authorities confirmed on Sunday. The devastating blaze broke out at about 10.30 p.m. on Saturday at the private BM Container Depot Ltd, a Netherlands-Bangladesh joint venture company, in Sitakunda.Authorities said that within 40 minutes of the raging fire, there was a massive explosion and the blaze spread from one container to the other due to the presence of explosive chemicals. The Director General of Fire Service said none of the owners or directors of the company are available, and amount or type of chemicals stored or how many containers are there is not immediately known. As the fire is still raging which might take another 24 hours to be completely doused, it is not possible to go near the depot, the official added. So far 15 of the deceased have been identified, health officials said. Assistant Director of Chittagong Fire Service and Civil Defense, Md Faruk Hossain Sikdar told IANS: “Around 29 firefighting units are working to douse the blaze and 50 ambulances are on standby at the spot.” The ICU beds are already full at the Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH), about 21 km away from the depot, while leave of the doctors have been cancelled in case of a crisis.The injured people have been admitted to the different hospitals, including the CMCH and the Combined Military Hospital (CMH). The district’s Divisional Commissioner Md Ashraf Uddin told IANS that 150-200 army personnel, deployed from Dhaka, have also reached the spot. He said the fire has been raging for 13 hours now, and is yet to doused. Regarding the dead firefighters, he said that they were in close proximity to a container while trying to put out the blaze when it suddenly exploded. According to a fire official, it was difficult to immediately identify which of the hundreds of containers in the depot. “In this situation, entering the depot is extremely dangerous. As a result, putting out the fire is impossible,” he said.DIG Anwar Hossain of the Chittagong Range Police said there were still explosions inside the depot. The Divisional Commissioner told IANS that there are two canals linked with the depot through drains which are also connected to the Bay of Bengal. The Army team will work on checking the extent of chemical leakage from the depot to the Bay of Bengal, he added. He further said that families of the deceased are being given Tk 50,000, while Tk 20,000 is being given to the kin of the injured. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, President Abdul Hamid and Speaker of Parliament condoled the deaths.—IANS

A massive blaze, followed by a powerful explosion at a private container depot in Bangladesh’s Chittagong district has killed a total of 43 people, including seven firefighters, and injured some 500 others of which 10 of them were police personnel, authorities confirmed on Sunday.

43 Killed In Massive B’desh Container Depot Blaze

Dhaka: The death toll due to a devastating blaze at a container depot in Bangladesh’s Chittagong district has increased to 49, with the blaze still continuing to rage on Monday despite efforts to douse it even after 38 hours, authorities said. Currently, 10 fire service units are working along with a military rescue and chemical expert team comprising 200 members. The devastating blaze broke out at about 10.30 p.m. on Saturday at the private BM Container Depot Ltd, a Netherlands-Bangladesh joint venture company, in Sitakunda.Authorities said that within 40 minutes of the raging fire, there was a massive explosion and the blaze spread from one container to the other due to the presence of explosive chemicals. Of the 49 victims, nine were fire fighting personnel. So far 23 victims have been identified. More than 160 people were injured, including 10 policemen and 15 fire fighters. Sitakunda Circle Additional Superintendent of Police, Ashraful Karim told IANS on Monday that the Chittagong district administration has formed a nine-member body to probe the origin of the raging inferno and so far, no case has been registered in connection to the incident.He added there was no water left in the ponds surrounding the depot to put out the fire. However, the containers will now be removed with an excavator, and a path will be formed for fire service personnel to supply water to all the spots, Karim told IANS. The BM Container Depot did not have proper authorisation to store chemical agents in the facility, claims Tofazzal Hossain, an explosives inspector in the port city. This directly contradicts with the depot officials’ earlier claim that they did have paperwork for storing such materials, he said. Tofazzal said hydrogen peroxide, the chemical agent that many are assuming stoked the fire, may not be behind the explosion at all.“Hydrogen peroxide is an accelerant agent, it can help spread the fire, but it never causes it,” he said.Since the fire is yet to be contained, an inspection team led by Tofazzal could not get close to the area still on fire. “We could not get to the bottom of it. But I’m certain there were other chemical agents or materials which explode under the right circumstances, such as they come into contact with fire or any other materials.” Meanwhile, Fire Service Director General Brigadier Md Main Uddin confirmed to IANS that the Fire Service and Civil Defence has formed a five-member body to look into the incident and will submit an inquiry report within three working days.—IANS

The death toll due to a devastating blaze at a container depot in Bangladesh’s Chittagong district has increased to 49, with the blaze still continuing to rage on Monday despite efforts to douse it even after 38 hours, authorities said.

Death Toll In B’desh Container Depot Blaze Rises To 49

New York: Drowning has become the second leading cause of death among children under the age of five in Bangladesh and the country reports over 14,000 such fatalities every year, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Unicef said in a joint statement.In the statement, the two UN agencies called on the government, development partners, communities and individuals to do their part to raise awareness and work to prevent the untimely deaths of thousands of children across Bangladesh, reports Xinhua news agency."It is heart-breaking that so many lives are lost each year in this country. We know that these deaths are preventable," said Sheldon Yett, Unicef representative to Bangladesh.&nbsp;"We urge individuals, communities and the government to join us in raising awareness and doing all we can to ensure every child's right to survive and thrive."Globally, drowning claims the lives of over 230,000 people every year.&nbsp;Nine in 10 drowning cases occur in low- and middle-income countries, with children under the age of five being at the highest risk.In Bangladesh, where large areas of land remain submerged due to yearly floods, the absence of awareness and swimming skills can prove to be life-threatening.&nbsp;Children in rural areas who grow up near bodies of water are also exposed to the risk of drowning daily."Drowning is a significant public health concern and the third leading cause of unintentional death worldwide. Drowning is one of the leading causes of death among children in Bangladesh," said WHO Representative to Bangladesh Bardan Jung Rana."By enhancing multisectoral collaboration, promoting strong leadership on drowning prevention, and implementing necessary actions, we can prevent the tragedy of drowning and achieve a safer, healthier future for all."Evidence shows that drowning is preventable through low-cost solutions.&nbsp;Increased awareness among families and communities, providing safety and swimming skills for children and adolescents, ensuring childcare facilities for pre-school children, and national policies and investments for prevention can make a significant difference. —IANS

Drowning has become the second leading cause of death among children under the age of five in Bangladesh and the country reports over 14,000 such fatalities every year, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Unicef said in a joint statement.

Over 14,000 Kids Drown In B'desh Every Year: WHO, Unicef

Kanpur (The Hawk): Five Bangladeshi family members, including a child, were held by the Kanpur police for allegedly possessing forged identification documents, according to the police.
A couple, their kids, and the woman's father make up the family.
They were held, according to the police, for possessing forged Indian passports, Bangladeshi passports, Aadhar cards, and other documents, as well as for residing unlawfully in Kanpur. They were taken into custody on Meston Road.
Irfan Solanki, a jailed Samajwadi Party MLA, and Manny Rahman, a local councilman, are said to have given Rizwan and his family certificates. Rizwan was originally a native of Khulna, Bangladesh.
The signatures of Solanki and Rahman will be compared to those on the certificates given to the family, according to Joint Commissioner of Police (law and order), Anand Prakash Tiwari, in order to determine whether they are guilty of fraud.
Additionally, 13 bogus passports, five Aadhar cards, diplomas, foreign currency, gold jewellery, and more than Rs 14 lakh were recovered by the police.
Rizwan Mohammad, 53, his father Khalid Majid, 79, his wife Hina Khalid, and their two children were among those apprehended and jailed.
Rizwan allegedly originally sought to deceive the police but subsequently admitted to the crime when questioned, according to the police.
Rizwan admitted to authorities that he entered India in 1996 on a tourist visa and married Hina Khalid in Delhi in 1998.
Hina had also entered Bangladesh illegally, he said, and had gotten a Bangladeshi passport before leaving for India.
Both of their kids, Rukhsar Rizwan, 21, and his son, Rukhsar Rizwan, 17, had entered Bangladesh without authorization and received passports there.
Both the 14-Foreigners Act of 1946 and the Indian Penal Code apply to them. A thorough inquiry into the situation is under progress.
(Inputs from Agencies)

Five Bangladeshi family members, including a child, were held by the Kanpur police for allegedly possessing forged identification documents, according to the police.

B'desh family held with phoney IDs, connected to SP MLA

Dhaka: At least 14 people were killed and 12 others injured following a head-on collision between a truck and a pickup van in Bangladesh's Sylhet district on Wednesday, a senior police official said. Md Abul Hossain, inspector at Sylhet's Dakshin Surma Police Station, told Xinhua news agency that all of the deceased were construction workers. Some workers were also critically injured in the road accident that occurred at around 6 a.m. in the district, some 240 km northeast of capital Dhaka, said the official. All the injured were rushed to local hospitals and clinics, he said, adding that the cause of the accident is under investigation. Bangladesh has one of the highest fatality rates for road accidents in the world mainly due to shoddy highways, poorly maintained vehicles, violation of traffic rules by drivers, and lack of monitoring of the traffic department. As many as 328 people were killed and 565 others injured in 304 road accidents from April 15 to 29, during the Eid al-Fitr festival rush in Bangladesh. —IANS

At least 14 people were killed and 12 others injured following a head-on collision between a truck and a pickup van in Bangladesh

Head-On Collision Between Truck-Bus In B'desh Kills 14

Aizawl/Imphal: The Manipur violence has added to Mizoram’s refugee burden as the tiny northeastern state since 2021 has become a sanctuary for Myanmarese and Bangladeshi tribals.   Since the ethnic violence began in neighbouring Manipur on May 3, the displaced tribals have started taking shelter in Mizoram and their number has crossed 12,200.  After the military takeover in Myanmar in February 2021, thousands of Myanmarese fled to Mizoram with around 35,000 men,women and children from that country staying in the mountainous state.  Advertisement  Over 7,000 tribals have also sheltered in Mizoram after trouble broke out in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of southeast Bangladesh.  The tribal refugees have fled from their native villages in the CHT after an armed conflict started in mid November last year between the Bangladesh Army and the Kuki-Chin National Army (KNA), also known as Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF).  The KNA is an underground militant outfit, demanding sovereignty for the Chin-Kukis residing in Rangamati and Bandarban districts of mountainous CHT and to protect the tribals' tradition, culture and livelihood.  The leaders of the Bangladeshi tribal refugees said that after the armed conflict with the KNA started in November last year, the Bangladesh Army accompanied by Myanmar's Arakan Army raided many villages, and assaulted and arrested many tribals while some were forcibly sent to jail. They were prevented from going from one village to another.  After the Army's crackdown, many tribals are missing, one of the tribal leaders said, adding : "We were totally unsafe in our villages. The Muslim people are boycotting us socially. We used to sell our agricultural and horticultural produce in the markets but the Muslims refused to buy anything from us."  In Christian dominated Mizoram, the tribal group is unified under one banner called 'Mizo', while in Bangladesh they are referred to as Chin-Kuki and Chin or Laimi or Zomi in Myanmar.  The Chin-Kuki tribals and the Mizos in Mizoram belong to the Zo community and share the same culture and ancestry besides they are all Christians. The Kuki-Chin community in Bangladesh belongs to the Mizo community and the Mizo tribal communities, which consist of different tribes, are sometimes known as Zofate or descendents of Zo.  Belonging to the Zo ethnic community, the tribals began trickling in after ethnic strife broke out in Manipur, where so far 125 people have been killed, 450 injured while property including houses, vehicles and shops have been either burnt or damaged in the two- month-long ethnic hostilities.  The Mizoram government has been asking the Centre to recognise the Myanmarese, sheltered in Mizoram, as refugees and grant funds to provide food and relief to all the people from Manipur, Myanmar and Bangladesh.  But the Central government is yet to provide any financial assistance for the displaced people from Manipur and the refugees from the neighbouring countries.  The people from Manipur, Myanmar and Bangladesh are lodged at relief camps in all the 11 districts in Mizoram, while a large number of them live outside the relief camps -- in relatives houses, rented houses, church complex, community centres.  Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga has written two letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 16 and May 23 and sought financial support of Rs 10 crore to provide relief to the displaced people from Manipur.  Mizoram Home Commissioner cum Secretary H. Lalengmawia said that a delegation from the state led by Tourism Minister Robert Romawia recently met officials of the Union Home Ministry including Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and requested them to release Central funds to provide relief to the displaced people.  "The response of the MHA officials’ was positive. But we are yet to receive any financial support. We are expecting funds from the MHA," said Lalengmawia, who was also part of the delegation.  Amidst tribal Kuki communities, various organisations and 10 MLAs in Manipur are demanding to create separate administration (equivalent of a separate state) for the tribals, Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga said that the Mizo National Front (MNF) has been working for the unification of all Zo tribes for over six decades.  Zoramthanga, who is the president of the ruling MNF, while addressing party members at Saitual last week, said that he recently told Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh that his party has been sincerely trying to integrate all the tribes of the Zo community under one administrative set up since 1961.  After coming overground in 1986, the erstwhile militant outfit MNF was converted into a political party and was recognised as a state party by the Election Commission.  After the signing of the Peace Accord in 1986, ending two decades of strife and insurgency spearheaded by the MNF, Mizoram became the 23rd state of India on February 20, 1987.  The MNF supremo said that the question of unification of Mizo inhabited areas of Mizoram's neighbouring states to form one administrative set-up under the concept of “Greater Mizoram” was one of the demands of the MNF, and the issue was raised during the peace parleys with the Indian government before signing of the agreement 37 years ago.  “The unification of all ethnic Zo or Mizo tribes in India and bringing them under one administrative unit was one of the main aims of the founders of MNF, including Laldenga, who was the Chief Minister of Mizoram from August 1986 to October 1988”.  The Mizoram Chief Minister, however, said that the state (Mizoram) cannot directly interfere in the internal affairs of Manipur on the issue of 'Greater Mizoram' or unification of Zo or Mizo tribal inhabited areas in Manipur with the state.  “The unification initiatives should come from ‘our kindred brothers’ in Manipur as the issue of unification of Chin-Kuki-Mizo-Hmar-Zomi tribes should not be imposed,” he observed.  Zoramthanga’s statement came close on the heels of the separate administration demand, raised by 10 Kuki MLAs of Manipur (seven of them belong to the ruling BJP), the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) and Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM).  The Kuki-Hmar-Mizo-Zomi-Zo ethnic group shares close ethnicity with the Mizo people in Mizoram..  Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Manipur Chief Minister have on a number of occasions rejected the separate administration demand and categorically said that the territorial integrity of Manipur will be protected and under no circumstances it will be compromised. —IANS

The Manipur violence has added to Mizoram’s refugee burden as the tiny northeastern state since 2021 has become a sanctuary

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43 Killed In Massive B’desh Container Depot Blaze

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The Hawk

Tag : B'desh

43 Killed In Massive B’desh Container Depot Blaze

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