Bogura district correspondent
Nowadays most discussed issue in the country's political arena is the referendum. However, when trying to find an answer to the question of how much the common people know or are interested in this referendum, a different picture comes to the fore.
Most the roads, highways and even the sidewalk in Bogura city are experiencing heavy traffic congestion due to encroachment. One road after another is being illegally encroached and the highways have turned into parking zones. Buses and trucks are being parked in front of highway hotels, vehicle servicing centers and workshops day after day.
Only a few days ago, the fields of Chak Bhola Kha village in Bogura’s Shibganj upazila echoed with the laughter of children and the chatter of tea-stall gatherings at dusk. Now, the once-lively village lies eerily silent and deserted. Doors and gates are locked, homes abandoned, and many residents are on the run, fleeing to avoid arrest. It all began on the night of October 4.
After five months in hiding, Sumaiya finally returned. But she returned lifeless, a noose around her neck. Her family had searched desperately for her, trying her mobile phone repeatedly but getting no response. She had withdrawn from her husband and her mother's family and plunged into a dark world—a life shrouded in mystery and narcotics.
It was a little past 8:15 pm. In a quiet corner of the bustling city, one entered through an old gate and was greeted by a heartwarming sight—children and teenagers engrossed in dance and song. Their laughter and rhythm painted a fragment of a dream. Sitting nearby, the founder of the organization watched proudly, though his face betrayed an undercurrent of worry. With his hand on the tabla, the president tried to keep pace with the music, making every effort to keep the spirit of the group alive. This was the Bogura Youth Choir.
In Taraganj, Rangpur, two men — Ruplal Robidas and Pradip Das — were beaten to death by a mob on suspicion of theft. Law enforcement has yet to arrest anyone in connection with the incident. Both victims — Ruplal and his niece’s husband Pradip — were lynched by a frenzied crowd unmoved by their desperate pleas for mercy. The shocking incident has plunged the area into grief and sparked outrage in Beltali, where residents blocked the highway in protest.