Due to dense fog, ferry services on the Paturia-Daulatdia and Aricha-Kazirhat river routes in Shivalaya upazila of Manikganj have been suspended. A total of five ferries carrying passengers and vehicles are stranded in the middle of the Padma.

The authorities have suspended ferry services on the Aricha-Kazirhat and Paturia-Daulatdia river routes from 2 am on Tuesday and 3:30 am on Paturia-Daulatdia.

Confirming the matter, Nasir Hossain Chowdhury, DGM of the Commerce Department of the Aricha office of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation, said that fog started falling on the Shivalaya section of the Padma and Jamuna rivers since Tuesday evening. Around midnight, the Aricha-Kazirhat and Paturia-Daulatdia river routes were shrouded in fog. Due to which ferry traffic on the river route has become quite risky, ferry traffic on the Paturia-Daulatdia and Aricha-Kazirhat routes has been temporarily closed.

At this time, three ferries named Birshreshtha Jahangir, Banalata and Baigar are anchored in the Padma in the middle of the Paturia-Daulatdia river route and two ferries named Shah Ali and Krishani are anchored in the Jamuna in the middle of the Aricha-Kazirhat river route with passengers and vehicles. When the fog in the river area decreases, all those ferries will be brought to the safe ghat pontoon.

In addition, ferry traffic will resume when the fog in the river area decreases. Since ferry traffic has been closed for a long time, several vehicles are waiting to cross the river route in the ghat pontoon area of both ferry ghats.

Nasir Hossain Chowdhury said that if the ferry traffic returns to normal, relatively large vehicles will be allowed to cross the river route on priority basis.

The District administration conducted a surprise operation at one of the main VVIP gambling clubs in Rangamati town and arrested 9 elite gamblers red-handed and seized about Tk. 132,840 in cash from them.

Later, the mobile court released the gamblers after collecting a fine of Tk. 100  each. At that time, the manager of Flavor Restaurant was fined Yk. 10,000 for organizing a gambling club.

According to local sources and Rangamati District Administration sources, after receiving such information from locals that regular gambling were held at Flavor Restaurant located opposite the District Education Office in Rajbari, Rangamati town, Rangamati District Administration Executive Magistrate and NDC Md. Shamim Hossain conducted the raid at the Flavor Restaurant through a mobile court on Tuesday afternoon.

A total of nine gamblers were caught red-handed while gambling at the spot. They are Debapriya Roy, Minal Tangchangya, Koel Dewan, Rigyan Chakma, Sushil Kanti Chakma, Hiralal Chakma, Rupayan Chakma, Rupan Talukder and Sumanta Chakma.

The Executive Magistrate operating the mobile court confirmed that the nine of the above were fined Tk. 100 each and released with a warning for the future after collecting Tk. 900 under the Bengal Gambling Act.

The mobile court authorities on duty fined Sajal De, the manager of Flavor Restaurant, who was operating the gambling hall, Tk. 10,000 under Section 52 of the Consumer Rights Act 2009.

The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has cancelled the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) licenses of seven expired telecom companies.

This information was given in a notification signed by BTRC's Licensing Branch Director MA Taleb Hossain on Monday (January 20).

The seven companies whose licenses were cancelled are - Telebarta Limited, Rangs Telecom Limited, National Telecom Limited, Bangla Phone Limited, Westek Limited, Onetel Communication Limited and Integrated Service Limited.

The notification said that the licenses were cancelled as expired since the license period had expired and the companies did not apply for renewal.

'Therefore, any activity carried out under the cancelled license will be illegal and a punishable offense under the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulation Act, 2001. In addition, instructions have been issued to submit the original certificate of the canceled license to the commission and pay all outstanding dues (if any) to the commission within the next 30 days. 

Even though there is an extradition treaty with India, if India does not return Sheikh Hasina, it will be a violation of that agreement, said Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Dr. Asif Nazrul.

He said, ‘Even though there is an extradition agreement, if India does not return Sheikh Hasina, it will be a violation of that agreement.’

He said these things at a view-exchange meeting with journalists on contemporary issues at the Law Ministry meeting room at the Secretariat on Tuesday (January 21).

Stating that a letter has already been sent to India to bring Sheikh Hasina back, Asif Nazrul said, ‘The Foreign Ministry is also making efforts. We are doing whatever we have to do. If there is anything more to be done, we will think about it on a case-by-case basis. The government will continue all efforts to bring Sheikh Hasina back. We will seek international assistance if necessary.’

The trial of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has begun at the International Crimes Tribunal for crimes against humanity. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent a letter to send Sheikh Hasina back to Bangladesh in accordance with the extradition agreement.

Stating that political harassment cases and cases filed under the Cyber Security Act will be withdrawn, he said, "Around 2,500 political harassment or disappearance cases have been identified in 25 districts of the country.

Lakhs of people are accused in these cases. These cases are being withdrawn within the next seven days to February."