United News of Bangladesh

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) have arrested a man for his alleged involvement in the killing two minor children for collecting stones, from Patgram upazila of Lalmonirhat district. The arrestee was Azharul Islam, 38, son of Pensul of Gangachara upazila of Rangpur district. Tipped off, a team of Rab-13 conducted a drive at Mohammadpur village in Patgram upazila of Lalmonirhat district and arrested Azharul on Friday night, said Senior Assistant Director (media) of Rab-13, Additional Superintendent Biplab Kumar Goswami on Saturday. Child kidnapped using ’devil breath’ in Dhaka rescued: 3 held Abdur Rahman, 8 and Maruf, 6 had gone missing on August 5 when they went to the sand quarry along Gangachara Ghaghot River, said Rab sources. Later, the children were found dead under the soil of the area on that day. Abdur Rashid and Zakerul Islam, parents of the two children, filed a murder case with Gangachara Police Station. After interrogation, Azharul admitted that he along with others killed the boys for collecting stones and buried the bodies under sand.  

Three children drowned and two others went missing while bathing in the Jhenai River in Madarganj upazila of Jamalpur on Friday afternoon. According to police and witnesses, the incident happened around 3:30pm at the ghat near Anar Sarkar’s house in Charbhatiani Amtola area. A group of schoolchildren went to bathe in the river when five of them accidentally slipped into a deep part of the water. On information, a diving team from Jamalpur Fire Service rushed to the spot and began a rescue operation. By evening, three bodies were recovered, while two children remained missing. The deceased were identified as Poly Akter, 12, and Abu Hasan, 8, children of expatriate Dudu Mia from Charbhatiani Madhya Para, and Sayeba Akter, 8, daughter of Nur Islam from Bausi village in Sarishabari upazila. The missing children were identified as Kulsum and Boishakhi, both from Charbhatiani area. 1 dies, 2 missing as boat sinks in Jamalpur Rafiqul Islam, leader of Jamalpur Fire Service, said, “The search operation was halted at night and will resume Saturday morning.” Md Saifullah Saif, Officer-in-Charge of Madarganj Model Police Station confirmed the incident. The tragic drowning, which claimed the lives of three children from two families, has cast a pall of grief over the Charbhatiani Amtola area.      

A young man drowned while bathing in the Dakatiya River at Mominpur, Bagadi Union in Chandpur Sadar upazila, on Friday afternoon. The deceased was identified as Prince Mahmud (20), son of Md. Rafiqul Islam from Gendaria, Dhaka. He had come to the area as part of Tabligh e Jamaat activities. According to Chandpur River Fire Station Officer Rakibul Islam, the incident occurred around 11am, when Prince went missing after entering the river to bathe. The Fire Service was informed around 11:40am, and a diving team reached the spot by 1pm. After about 30 minutes of search operations, they recovered the body around 1:30pm. 350kg rotten hilsa destroyed in Chandpur market, Tk 1 lakh fine imposed Later, the body was handed over to Sub-Inspector Nadir of Chandpur Sadar Model Police Station for necessary legal procedures. Officer-in-Charge Md. Bahar Mia said a preliminary inquest was conducted, and after completing legal formalities, the body was handed over to the victim’s family.      

Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) arrested a male, the prime suspect in the murder of a woman, his step-mother, in Chandina upazila of Cumilla, on Friday. The accused, Shahin Munshi, 26, was arrested from the Eliotganj Bazar area on the Dhaka–Chattogram Highway around 6 pm. Shahin, son of Emdadul Haque Munshi from Sabdalpur village under Bataghasi union of Chandina, allegedly attacked his stepmother Halima Begum, 34, with a sharp weapon at their home on Wednesday night. She died early the next morning while undergoing treatment. Inspector Bipul Debnath of Cumilla PBI said that the incident drew the attention of their Superintendent of Police, Sarwar Alam, who ordered an immediate operation. Using technology and intelligence efforts, police arrested the main accused within 24 hours. According to locals, Emdadul Haque’s first wife died three years ago, and he married Halima Begum about two months ago. Woman hacked by ‘stepson’ in Cumilla dies On Wednesday around 11 pm, Shahin allegedly attacked her at their house. Halima was first taken to Cumilla Medical College Hospital and later transferred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where she died. Following the incident, the victim’s elder brother, Nurul Islam Munshi, filed a case with Chandina Police Station.    

A 60-year-old man was killed in a mob attack in Sirajganj on Thursday night after being accused of attempting to steal a cow. The incident took place in Muktargati village of Sirajganj Sadar upazila. The deceased was identified as Sanowar Hossain Sanu, son of Md. Badullah Sheikh of Alampur village in the same area. His body was recovered by police on Friday afternoon and sent to Shaheed M. Monsur Ali Medical College Hospital morgue. Octogenarian Sirajganj AL leader Ahmad Mostafa Khan Bacchu dies in jail Mokhlesur Rahman, Officer-in-Charge of Sirajganj Sadar Police Station, said, “Sanu allegedly tried to steal a cow from Hasan’s house in Nizamgati village of neighboring Raiganj upazila. Locals chased him, and he fled across the Fuljor River to Muktargati Char area. Then, Sanu was reportedly beaten and stabbed by the angry crowd, resulting in his death on the spot.” Additionally, the OC informed that Sanu had three cases related to cow theft and two robbery cases pending against him. “A case has been filed with the local police station over the incident,” he added.    

The body of a missing farmer, Hanif Mia, was recovered from a haor in Sylhet’s Companyganj upazila one day after he went missing. Hanif Mia, the son of Montaz Ali, was from Chanpur Keyaghat village of Purba Islampur Union. His body was retrieved from Rauti Beel at around 8:00 am on Friday. According to local sources, Hanif Mia went to the banks of Rauti Beel on Thursday morning at 7:00 am to graze his cows but did not return home by evening. His wife, finding him absent, brought the cows back and informed the villagers, who announced his disappearance via the mosque’s speakers. After searching throughout the night, locals recovered his body on Friday morning using fishing nets. Companyganj police Officer-in-Charge Ratan Sheikh said the exact cause of death is unknown. The body has been sent to Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital morgue for postmortem, and further legal action is underway.

Eight business establishments were gutted in a fire at Kachakata Bazaar in Nageshwari Upazila of Kurigram early Friday. On information, a unit of the Nageshwari Fire Service rushed to the scene and brought the blaze under control within an hour, said Saiful Islam, team leader of the fire service. By the time the fire was controlled, most of the shops were completely destroyed. The fire may have originated from an electrical short circuit, said the officer. Business owners estimated losses at over Tk 40 lakh and urged authorities for immediate rehabilitation and compensation.  

Four men, impersonating Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) personnel, looted around Tk 8 lakh from Islami Bank staffs in Daganbhuiyan upazila of Feni on Thursday. The incident took place around Matubhuiyan Bus Stand on the Feni-Noakhali road. According to the bank sources, Islami Bank agent staffers Mokbul Ahmed, 56, and Wasim Uddin, 25, withdrew Tk 817,000 from Daganbhuiyan branch for its Beker Bazar agent banking outlet. According to the Mokbul's statement, when they reached Matubhuiyan Bus Stand, four men wearing RAB uniforms handcuffed them, tied black cloth over their faces, and took them into a private car, before taking the money. Mokbul Ahmed also said, “When we screamed for help, they beat us brutally. Later, they dropped us off at an unknown place. A local man untied us and told us that it was Senbagh area in Noakhali. With the help of locals, we managed to return to our area.” Feni Jubo Dal activist arrested in Dhaka for robbery case Feni RAB Camp Commander Mizanur Rahman said, “The incident was carried out by a fraud group trying to tarnish law enforcement’s reputation.” Police Superintendent Habibur Rahman said, “The police have begun an investigation and hope to bring the criminals to justice soon.” Bank agent Mohi Uddin said that he is filing a complaint with Daganbhuiyan Police Station.    

The body of a 46-year-old man abducted from Chattogram in 2019 was recovered in Feni on Wednesday. The deceased, Abdul Ahad, son of Imani Mia of Daudpur village in Hajipur Union under Kulaura Police Station, Moulvibazar, was found in Chhagalnaiya Upazila of Feni District. According to police, locals discovered an unconscious man in front of the main gate of Chhagalnaiya Upazila Health Complex on the morning of October 29 and took him to the hospital’s emergency department. Doctors later declared him dead following medical tests. A police team led by Officer-in-Charge Md. Abul Bashar inspected the body and documents and found a check from Uttara Bank, Birinchi branch, Feni, bearing the name Abdul Ahad. Later, bank authorities confirmed his identity. Talking to UNB, Abdul Ahad’s younger sister, Naima Nasrin Moni, said her brother had served as a lecturer in political science at Sylhet Britannica Women’s College and later as a customs auditor at Sylhet, Dhaka, and Chattogram airports. She recounted that on May 1, 2019, while on duty at Chattogram Airport, Abdul Ahad went missing. The family received a ransom demand of Tk 2 lakh, which they paid, but could not trace him despite filing a missing diary. Two women among three killed in Feni road crash   Md. Shah Alam, sub-inspector (SI) of Chhagalnaiya Police Station, said the body showed no signs of injury and it is initially believed he died of a stroke. The body has been sent to Feni General Hospital for autopsy to confirm the cause of death. Abdul Ahad’s body was handed over to his brother Abdul Noor on Thursday afternoon.    

A young man was beaten to death on late Wednesday night two days after being taken away on suspicion of motorcycle theft in Mithapukur upazila of Rangpur. The victim collapsed and died shortly after being returned to his family. Police recovered the body Thursday afternoon and sent it to Rangpur Medical College Hospital for postmortem. The victim, Sohel Mia, 27, was the youngest son of Azadul Haq aka Kyata Mia of Purbo Borolba village in Borobala union. According to his family, on Monday, local village police member Monarul Islam called Sohel from his home and took him to Balua Bazar. There, several youths beat him and forced him onto a motorcycle, taking him to the house of Ashraful Member of Milonpur village. Ashraful held Sohel for two days, suspecting him in a motorcycle theft case involving Ashraful’s niece’s husband, and beat him severely. On Wednesday night around 11pm, Sohel’s parents were called and forced to take him home with a signature in a blank paper as his condition became critical. Soon after, Sohel collapsed and died. Movement intensifies as Teesta activists announce ‘Silent Rangpur’ campaign in 5 districts Sohel’s father, Kyata Mia, said, “Ashraful tortured my son inhumanely. Village police and a local youth, Habibur, demanded money in exchange for his safety. If my son did anything wrong, there is the law. I want justice. He left behind two young children aged 1 and 3.” Ashraful, the accused, said, “I only asked for Sohel to be taken in connection with the stolen motorcycle. I do not know how he died. He should not have died under light punishment, and we have a written statement from his family.” Nur-e-Alam Siddiqui, Officer-in-Charge of Mithapukur Police Station said, “We are preparing to file a case. Efforts to arrest the accused are ongoing.”