The flood situation in six upazilas of Sylhet worsened Wednesday as incessant rainfall and an onrush of water from upstream kept pounding the region for the past few days, leaving its major rivers overflow.

More than 100,000 people of Zakiganj, Fenchuganj, Beani Bazar, Osmaninagar, Balaganj, and Gopalganj were left stranded due to flooding.

However, the water levels remained unchanged in the rivers Surma, Dholai, Piyain, and Luva and the flood situation on their banks improved slightly.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh army, navy, coast guard, police, and Border Guard Bangladesh are working round the clock to rescue the flood-hit people.

According to the Bangladesh Water Development Board, flood water entered 40 points of Zakiganj upazila till Wednesday evening.

Around 60 per cent of Fenchuganj and Balaganj went under water. Road communication on Balaganj-Khichripur and Fenchuganj-Balaganj route remained suspended.

The flood situation in Beani Bazar, Osmaninagar, Balaganj, and Gopalganj also worsened as new areas of the upazilas went under water as the water level in the River Kushiara kept rising.

SM Shahidul Islam, chief engineer of the Bangladesh Water Development Board in Sylhet, said water in the River Surma was flowing at 13.75 centimetres above the danger mark at Kanaighat point Wednesday evening.

Addressing a rally in Madaripur's Shibchar after opening Padma Bridge, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that building Padma Bridge is a perfect answer to all conspirators.

"Dr Yunus lobbied in USA to stop funding for the bridge. Building the bridge was a perfect reply to Yunus and all other conspirators," she told the rally organised by Awami League at Kathalbari under Shibchar upazila marking the opening of the long-awaited Padma Bridge.

Hundreds of thousands of people attended the programme.

"Southern region won't be neglected anymore for Padma Bridge. No one will have to lose their loved ones while crossing the mighty Padma River anymore," she said.

"We have changed the landscape of Madaripur, Shariatpur and the entire region by building Padma Bridge. Special economic zones will be built in the region too," PM Sheikh Hasina added. 

The Awami League president said, "My entire family including me faced harassment because we wanted to build the Padma Bridge. But nobody can stop the people of Bangladesh, just like Bangabandhu said -Keu amader dabai rakhte parbena," she said, adding, "I will sacrifice my life for the countrymen."

PM, before joining the massive rally, unveiled mural-2 at the Jajira point of commemorating the bridge. A special prayer was held at this time.

Sheikh Hasina and her motorcade reached Shibchar crossing Padma Bridge soon after opening it to the traffic on Saturday noon.

She became the first person to cross the long-awaited bridge by paying the toll at the Mawa toll plaza in Munshiganj.

Thirteen buses with 40 seats each followed the PM crossing Padma Bridge. First 2 buses carried ministers, state ministers and deputy ministers. Next to follow were members of the parliament, diplomats, secretaries, and political leaders.

Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Padma Multipurpose Bridge in a historic moment for the nation.

After inaugurating the bridge, the prime minister unveiled mural-1 at the Mawa point of the bridge.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has unveiled the inaugural plaque and mural-2 of the Padma Bridge at Jajira end of Shariatpur.

The Prime Minister unveiled the inaugural plaque and mural-2 adjacent to the toll plaza at the Jajira end of the Padma Bridge at 12:36 pm on Saturday (June 25). Later she took part in prayers.

With the inauguration of this bridge, the dreams of the people of 21 districts of the south have been fulfilled and at the same time Bangladesh has gone one step further in fulfilling their dreams.

The Padma Bridge will be opened to traffic on Sunday (June 26). 

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Padma Bridge, the dream, the pride of Bengalis. At 11:55 am on Saturday (June 25), Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Padma Bridge. With the inauguration of this bridge, the dreams of the people of 21 districts of the south have been fulfilled and at the same time Bangladesh has gone one step further in fulfilling their dreams.

Earlier, the Prime Minister addressed the inaugural function of the Padma Bridge at Mawa. She expressed her gratitude to those who cooperated with the land on the Padma Bridge.

Earlier, she left the old airport of Tejgaon at 9:30 am for the Mawa end of Munshiganj. She was accompanied by senior officials from the Prime Minister's Office.

The Padma Bridge will be opened to traffic on Sunday (June 26). Along with the two banks of the Padma, the whole country is in a festive mood.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid the toll of Padma Bridge.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid toll at the toll plaza on the Mawa side of the bridge at 11:45 am on Saturday (June 25).

Earlier, the Prime Minister addressed the inaugural function of the Padma Bridge at Mawa. She expressed her gratitude to those who cooperated with the land on the Padma Bridge.

At around 10 am on Saturday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reached Mawa point and joined the gathering there.

A court in Rangpur has sentenced two men to life imprisonment for raping a woman in front of her husband in 2004.

Rangpur Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-3 judge M Ali Ahmed handed down the punishment to Ekramul Haque and Abul Kalam Azad, both residents of Pirganj upazila, after holding them guilty of the crime on Thursday.

According to the prosecution, the convicts waylaid the couple in Pirganj upazila while they were returning to their home from their relative’s place around 11pm on September 2, 2004.

Subsequently, they tied up the woman's husband to a tree and violated her at gunpoint.

Based on the couple's complaint, an FIR for rape was lodged at Pirganj police station later and the two men, then accused, were arrested from different parts of the district.

Iqbal Bahar, then sub-inspector of Pirganj Police Station, submitted the chargesheet against the duo in the rape case.