Omar Ali Shohag

Protected ethnic minority faces hunger and debt after losing traditional livelihood

The Jhenaidah district administration has halted the removal of a square dedicated to Bir Sreshtha Hamidur Rahman.

Decision follows public backlash after The Daily Star report

The Bir Sreshtha Hamidur Rahman Square and its sculpture, located in front of the Jhenaidah Central Bus Terminal, have been dismantled over the last couple of days.

Municipality, district administration and Roads and Highways Department deny knowledge as removal sparks confusion among residents

The upgrade of the 47.48km Jashore-Jhenaidah highway to a four-lane corridor under the Western Economic Corridor and Regional Enhancement (WeCARE) Phase I project has made little progress, with officials attributing delays to land acquisition and compensation.

For nearly 25 years, more than 200 black-faced langurs have lived along the Maheshpur border in Jhenaidah. Divided into at least six groups, they roam villages including Bhabanagar, Swaruppur, Chapatala, Talsar, Shyamkur, and Kusumpur.

Habitat loss and inadequate feeding have left Jhenaidah’s langurs malnourished, vulnerable and in conflict with villagers

The 250-bed General Hospital in Jhenaidah, the district’s main public healthcare facility serving nearly 20 lakh people, is facing acute shortages of manpower and critical medical equipment, raising concerns over patient care and forcing many critically ill patients to seek treatment elsewhere.

High harvesting costs and submerged straw threaten returns

After raising Tk 15 lakh through loans and asset sales, the family alleges brokers trapped the 21-year-old in Nepal and kept demanding more money

Commercial cultivation of passion fruit, native to South America, has begun in Maheshpur upazila in Jhenaidah, with a local entrepreneur expanding production and attracting interest from other farmers.