Sanjoy Kumar Barua

“Even if his hand is gone, glad that my husband is still alive”

"My husband is at least alive, even if his left hand has been amputated. It means a lot to me that he is still alive," said Nazneen Nahar, wife of Nurul Afsar, who sustained burn injuries in the fire and subsequent explosions at BM Container Depot in Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram on Saturday night (June 4, 2022).

A frantic search for loved ones

Abdul Majid was scurrying from place to place to find his son since late last night.

‘Will starve to death, but won’t take aid from those who set jhum land on fire’

People from Mro and Tripura communities in Bandarban, who were affected by the fire on Jhum land, have refused aid from the local administration as the relief was being distributed in presence of those allegedly involved in burning the gardens at Langkompara, under Bandarban’s Lama upazila.

‘It was premeditated; pickup van targeted 6 brothers’

“My six brothers and one sister were about two arms’ length away from the road on the day of the accident. My other brother and I were on the street. Instead of hitting us, the pickup van targeted and crushed my brothers. The vehicle then came back and crushed my injured sister after killing my brothers,” said Munni Sushil, who survived the road accident in Chakaria upazila on February 9, last night.

CCC’s expensive puddle

When Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) constructed two swimming pools in 2015, it was hailed by the residents. They were constructed at a portion of the city’s Jatisangha Park area.

CRB may never be the same

While going for a morning walk in port city’s Central Railway Building (CRB) area on Thursday, Abdul Aziz, a resident of Kazir Dewri, was taken aback after seeing a notice that read “This road has been closed permanently for public use; kindly use an alternative road”.

When the quality is right

For a small shop without a signboard or even a name, the popularity of this butter store is unparalleled among the residents of the port city. For 80 long years, this shop with no name has ruled the hearts of the city, solely with the quality of its produce.

Buildings tilt as CDA digs canal in Ctg

Three buildings and five tin-roofed houses were evacuated in Majirghat area of Chattogram yesterday hours after they tilted to one side amid the excavation work of a nearby canal.

All over again?

Dismantling work of Crystal Gold, the ship that has remained stranded on Chattogram’s Parki Beach since 2017, started on the beach yesterday.

At least find my son’s body

“I called for help from everyone. Local shopkeepers. The police. But no one would come forward.”

Sajek Fire: Accident or sabotage?

While police suspect the fire that gutted four resorts and a restaurant in Sajek valley early yesterday was caused by a short circuit, owners of the resorts believe it was an act of sabotage.

SC verdict yet to be effective after 7yrs

Right in the heart of the port city stands Pahartali Baddhyabhumi, the largest mass killing ground in Chattogram -- on 1.75 acres of land.

Of dead and dying dighis

Chattogram city’s historic Rother Pukur pond is truly a part of history books now.

Cracks appear in port city’s first flyover

Cracks have appeared in two pillars of the flyover that connects Chattogram Container Terminal (CCT) of Chattogram port with the Toll Access Road.

Sampans passed through here once

Not too long ago, only about 15 years, Chattogram’s Manaharkhali canal could let sampans (traditional wooden boats) pass through. But due to rampant encroachment, today it has become little more than a drain that can barely let water pass, let alone boats.

As if trees don’t matter

In a naked attack on the environment, the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) have cut down around 1,700 trees to construct the connecting road of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel in Chattogram.

‘Friends became strangers in the blink of an eye’

“We have been living together in this area like brothers and friends for 30 long years. We shared our lives – our happiness and sorrows. But within the blink of an eye, these familiar people became strangers,” said Madhu Kanti Das, a shopkeeper in Lama Bazar, Bandarban.

Marma people in panic a day after man burnt alive

Panic has gripped Marma villagers of Master Para in Khagrachhari’s Ramgarh upazila as one of their community members was burnt to death.

The wall that appeared out of nowhere!

In a rather mysterious turn of events, a brick wall popped up around the drain where university student Sehrin Mahbub Sadia fell and died last Monday, although both Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) and Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) have denied building it.

As it stands, the world around it burns

For four years now, a ship has remained anchored at Chattogram’s Parki beach.

Ex-UPDF member shot dead

A former member of the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF) was shot dead in Khagrachhari’s Panchhari upazila yesterday morning.

Ex-UPDF man stabbed to death

A 40-year-old man, who was once a member of the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF), was taken from his home and stabbed dead in the early hours today in Dighinala, Khagrachhari.

Village chief shot dead in front of family

A karbari (village chief) was shot dead in front of his family in a remote village of Jurachhari upazila of Rangamati Sunday night.

Buddhist monk attacked in temple

Two unidentified men attacked an indigenous Buddhist monk inside a temple in remote Panchhari upazila of Khagrachhari and looted Tk 1 lakh early Monday.

Incomplete water supply facility now a ‘tourist spot’

The Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) spent around Tk 2.25 crore to construct a facility for supplying fresh water to Neelachal, a tourist hotspot in Bandarban, and areas surrounding it.

Mysterious fire destroys 100-acre orchard

A devastating fire yesterday destroyed an 100-acre orchard of the Mro community who have been protesting the construction of a luxury hotel in Naitong area of Bandarban.

People of Rakhine Community: Their numbers shrinking in Teknaf

Ma Ching Rakhine, along with her family members, was forced to leave their ancestral home in Teknaf upazila of Cox’s Bazar around 10 years ago in the face of threats from Rohingya criminals.

Land lost, so is livelihood

Around 65 Mro families of three villages in Bandarban’s Lama upazila are living in fear of eviction from their ancestral homes with no source of livelihood after land grabbers illegally occupied their jhum land last month.

Lakingme Chakma’s Death: Two int’l rights groups demand enquiry into PBI team, public prosecutor

International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) and Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) on Saturday demanded divisional enquiry into the Police Bureau of Investigation (PIB) team and Cox’s Bazar public prosecutor over negligent handling of Lakingme Chakma’s abduction case.

Parents get to bury Lakingme after 25 days

The family of Lakingme Chakma finally received her body yesterday, 25 days after her mysterious death, and buried her in Ramu upazila of Cox’s Bazar.

Plunder of Sangu Forest: Probe body fails to visit affected area

A member of the probe committee, formed by the forest department following a recent report of The Daily Star, has said the BGB on security grounds didn’t let them enter the Sangu reserve forest, hampering their efforts to assess the level of destruction there.

Ex-MP’s sons still have grasp on Teknaf’s first Buddhist temple

The law of the land is quite strict against hurting the sentiment of any religious community or any action that threatens communal harmony.

Construction of hanging bridge at Nafakhum draws criticism on social media

A photo of an under-construction hanging bridge at Nafakhum waterfall, a popular tourist attraction in Bandarban district, has gone viral on social media, with netizens protesting the “development”, claiming that it is detrimental to the natural beauty of the area.

Sangu Reserve Forest: Left exposed to human greed

A vast number of century-old trees have been felled by loggers at a remote reserve forest and wildlife sanctuary in Thanchi of Bandarban in the last two months, and as seen in satellite images, about a hundred acres of it have been totally razed over the last few years.

Couple held with 28 gold bars

Police arrested a suspected gold smuggler couple with 28 gold bars worth Tk 3 crore near Bangladesh-Myanmar border in Bandarban yesterday.

23 Years of CHT Peace Accord: Crux of the crisis lies in land issues

Parao Mro, 65, karbari of remote Cha Hla Mro Para of Lama upazila in Bandarban had to leave his ancestral land around ten years ago following threats from a land grabber.

‘Protect Sangu-Matamuhuri sanctuary, reserve forest’

Parbatya Chattogram Forest and Land Rights Protection Movement has called upon authorities concerned to take measures to protect the Sangu-Matamuhuri Sanctuary and the Reserve Natural Forest and take action against those destroying the forest.

Private project with state money!

A private university in Bandarban spent Tk 1.35 crore of the government’s fund to construct its water supply channel.

Rohingya teen killed in landmine explosion

A Rohingya teenage boy was killed in a landmine explosion on the Myanmar side of the border along Bandarban on Friday afternoon, said police.

New five-star hotel ‘threatens’ ancestral land of Mro community in Bandarban

Mro villagers today urged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to save their eight ancestral villages at Chimbuk hill in Bandarban.

Rape of Chakma Girl: All 9 rapists are robbers

All the nine rapists who raped a Chakma girl are professional robbers and they confessed about their crimes, police said in a press conference in Khagrachhari.

Refugees settle down far away from camps

Amir Ali, his wife Amina Khatun, and their five children came to Bangladesh from Myanmar’s Maungdaw around five years ago.

UNO in CHT leases khas land illegally

The upazila nirbahi officer of Ramgarh upazila in Khagrachhari allegedly misused his power to lease five acres of khas land illegally for a personal project.

Six shot dead in Bandarban

Six members, including Bandarban district unit president and two central leaders, of the MN Larma faction of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS) were shot dead by a group of assailants in Baghmara area of Bandarban Sadar upazila yesterday morning.