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The River Nabaganga in Jhenidah is in its death throes because of the continued encroachment on the bank of the river by a section of influential persons.
   Land grabbers, after making houses along the bank of the river, are indiscriminately cutting earth of the bank for sale, local sources said.
   Although cutting of the river bank at different points continues unabated, the district administration remains silent over the matter, they alleged.
   The only river in the district has dried up at Mathurapur and Parmathurapur points under district sadar upazila because of the continued encroachment on the river bank.
   As a result, the people living in the nearby villages suffer a lot as their houses and crop lands go under river water every monsoon, local people said.
   During a visit, our correspondent found that many houses and several markets have been built along the river bank at different places.
   Some people were seen cutting the earth of the river bank.
   At present, cutting of the river bank continues in different points covering Gilabaria, Mathurapur villages under sadar upazila and Chandpur, Hakimpur, Daulatpur and Gobordanga under Harinakunda upazila of the district.
   The land grabbers are influential persons in the locality and so, no body dares to speak against them,’ Aktar Hossain, a resident of village Mathurapur, said.
    ‘If cutting of the river bank continues, the river will lose its existence in near future,’ he added.
   The convener of the district environment and animal protection committee Masud Ahmed Sanju told New Age that they had submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner two times urging steps against illegal earth cutting..
   But the authorities concerned are yet to pay any heed to their plea, Masud said.
   ‘The committee will go for strong movement if the authorities do not take immediate steps to save the river from the land grabbers,’ he added.
    Earlier, officials at the district administration said they would soon take steps against the encroachers.

The police arrested a war crime suspect at Durgapur in Rajshahi Tuesday evening on charge of killing a freedom fighter during the liberation war in 1971.
   The arrested is Abdul Jabbar, of village Ujankhalshi at Durgapur upazila in the district.
   The police said one Alim Uddin Mridha, son of a slain freedom fighter Bahar Uddin of village Anantakandi at Durgapur, had filed a case against 13 war criminals on April 12 with a court in Rajshahi on charge of killing his father during the war of independence.
   After recording the case, the police arrested Abdul Jabbar at his house at about 6:30 pm.

A man died under police custody in Sirajganj on Monday. The deceased was identified as Dulal Sarder, 32, of village Rashombari at Shahzadpur in Sirajganj.
   Family members of the deceased said after being injured in a village clash, Dulal was admitted to Shahjadpur Upazila Health Complex on Saturday. He was later shifted to Sirajganj General Hospital on Monday.
   They alleged that in the absence of the on-duty doctors at the hospital, the Shahjadpur police took Dulal under their custody in the name of taking him to court. Dulal died in their custody, they added.
   The officer-in-charge, Tozammel, however, said as Dulal was accused in the case filed in connection with the clash at Rashombari, they took him out of the hospital to produce him in court.
   The court passed an order to send Dulal to jail but he died on the way to the jail, he added.

The Sylhet police recovered a stolen CNG-run auto-rickshaw at Nabiganj upazila in Habiganj on Monday.
   The police also arrested two suspected vehicle lifters from the spot.
   The arrested are Rashid Ali, 38, of Banarai under Rajnagar upazila in Moulvibazar and Mokhles Miah, 28, of Rasulpur under Nikli upazila in Netrakona, the police said.
   According to the Dakshin Surma police, a CNG-run auto-rickshaw was stolen from a garage at Nazirbazar Saturday night.
   The vehicle owner, Sazzadur Rahman, filed a case on Sunday.
   The police with the help of the local people launched a drive at Aaushkandi Bazar under Nabiganj in Habiganj early Monday and recovered the vehicle.