United News of Bangladesh

Police arrested 18 members of the banned Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), including a leader, following a sudden procession in Cumilla city on Friday, officials said Saturday. The arrests were made during joint raids conducted by the District Detective Branch (DB) and Kotwali Model Police Station from Friday night until Saturday morning. The key detainee was identified as Kaiyum, son of Md. Zakir Hossain of Panchthubi union in Cumilla Sadar upazila. According to police, BCL activists brought out a flash procession on the Nurpur-Telikona road in the city during Friday Juma prayer khutba. Police identified the participants by analyzing video footage of the incident. Md. Touhidul Anwar, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kotwali Model Police Station, said Kotwali police detained 16 individuals while DB police arrested two.  Legal action is being taken against the arrestees, and they will be produced before a Cumilla court in the afternoon, the OC added.

A total of Tk 88,65,804 in cash was recovered during the fifth round of counting donations from the donation boxes and sealed containers at the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) in Sylhet on Saturday. Gold, silver and foreign currencies from 18 countries were also found during the counting. With this, the total cash collected in five rounds has reached Tk 3,13,23,144. The fifth round of counting began at 10:00am under the direct supervision of the district administration, one month and eight days after the previous count. The money and valuables were recovered after three sealed containers and five donation boxes at the shrine were opened. The valuables included 1.8 bhori of gold, 3.13 bhori of silver, 7,647 Indian rupees and 14 British pounds. Other currencies recovered included 11 Malaysian ringgit, 20 Thai baht, 15 Maldivian rufiyaa, 10 Hong Kong dollars, 1 Brunei dollar, 55 Nepalese rupees, 100 Pakistani rupees, 50 Russian rubles and 500 Sri Lankan rupees. Of the seven cattle donated to the shrine, four were slaughtered for its communal kitchen, known as the langorkhana, while the remaining three were given to the shrine's caretakers, known as khadims. Of the 310 goats donated, 237 were used for the communal kitchen and shinni, or ritual offerings. Shrine officials, bank representatives and a large number of volunteers took part in the counting. After the count, the money and valuables were deposited into the shrine's designated bank account under the supervision of the district administration. Officials said the funds would be used for the shrine's development and various charitable activities. Special donation boxes were installed at the shrine in June to improve security and ensure financial transparency. Since then, donations and valuables collected in the boxes have been counted publicly at regular intervals. According to the district administration, Tk 17,65,549 was collected in the first round, Tk 47,10,000 in the second, Tk 70,88,672 in the third and Tk 88,92,966 in the fourth. The fifth round yielded Tk 88,65,804. At a meeting on September 23 to improve transparency in the shrine's financial management, it was decided that donations would be counted daily. Plans were made to recruit a manager, an accountant and an office assistant to oversee the counting of donations, maintain records and manage expenditure. However, daily counting has yet to begin as the recruitment process remains incomplete. Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Abdullah Al Mamun said the recruitment process is underway and applications have been received. “We expect the process to be completed by next month, after which the shrine's funds will be counted daily. Today, one month and eight days later, we are conducting the fifth count of donations collected at the shrine,” he said. The fourth round of counting was held on September 19, when three large cauldrons, known as degs, and five donation boxes were opened. It yielded Tk 88,92,966, along with gold and foreign currencies from 15 countries. At the September 23 meeting, a committee led by Khandaker Abdul Muktadir decided how the donations would be allocated. Under the decision, 35 percent of the total donations would go towards the shrine's development projects and be deposited into an account at Sonali Bank. The remaining 65 percent would be used to meet daily operating expenses and pay staff salaries and allowances.

Two passengers were killed and at least 15 others injured in a head-on collision between a passenger bus and a sand-laden truck in Sarail upazila of Brahmanbaria on Saturday morning. The deceased were identified as Sourav, 32, son of Abu Bakar of Kajipara area in Parbatipur upazila of Dinajpur, and Asif, 18, son of Mominul Islam of Harkali Choupara area in Rangpur Sadar upazila. The accident occurred in the Berotola area on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway, leaving the bus overturned on the road. Abdul Halim, officer-in-charge of Khatihata Highway Police Station, said a bus of Diganta Paribahan had left Rangpur for Sylhet on Friday night. It collided head-on with a sand-laden truck coming from the opposite direction in Berotola on Saturday morning.

Police have filed a general diary (GD) over a heated exchange between independent MP Barrister Rumin Farhana and Sarail Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Monzur Kader Bhuiyan. The GD was recorded following the incident on Thursday night, which became public on Friday evening. Police are also reviewing CCTV footage to identify people who accompanied the MP to the police station and allegedly engaged in disorderly or provocative behaviour. Additional Superintendent of Police (Administration and Finance) Arafatul Islam said police record significant incidents through GDs as a formal measure. He said the entry was not a regular case or a personal complaint and that the situation remained under police control. The incident has sparked conflicting accounts from the two sides. Supporters of Rumin Farhana alleged that the OC had ignored repeated calls for security during her visits to Durga Puja mandaps. The OC, however, said police were busy maintaining security across Sarail during the festival and could not assign a separate team to an individual. He also alleged that hundreds of people entered the station without prior notice and created tension. Videos circulating on social media show a person accusing the OC of taking Tk 30,000 in bribes during the argument. The OC denied the allegation and claimed the person had been coached by the MP. Rumin Farhana, in response, referred to the OC’s political past. The MP’s personal assistant, Zakir Hossain, said a two-page written list of alleged irregularities, corruption and negligence by the OC was being prepared for submission to senior police officials. Rumin Farhana said she wanted to be named as the number one accused if any case was filed over the incident. She said she submitted a complaint against the OC to the district Superintendent of Police on Friday, and was waiting for the authorities to decide on departmental action. She warned that she would announce further programmes if appropriate action was not taken. The MP went to the police station around 8pm on Thursday to seek an explanation for the lack of security during her Durga Puja visits and to raise allegations of irregularities against the OC. She remained in his office until around 9pm. According to Rumin Farhana, she had called the OC eight to 10 times but he did not answer. The OC reportedly told her, “You are an MP elected by the people; the people will provide you security.”

An auto-rickshaw driver died early Saturday after hijackers posing as passengers hit him on the head and fled with his battery-powered vehicle in Chhagalnaiya upazila of Feni. The deceased was identified as Abdul Haq, 45, son of Osman Hawlader of Matiagoda village under Mohamaya union. Hijackers hired Abdul's auto-rickshaw from Chandgazi Bazar on Friday evening for Bangla Bazar. Upon reaching Bangla Bazar Brickfield on the Chhagalnaiya-Feni road, they hit him on the head, dumped him on the road, and fled with the auto-rickshaw, family members said. Police rescued Abdul around 8:30pm Friday and admitted him to Feni Sadar Hospital. He was later shifted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital, where he died early Saturday. Mohammad Abu Taher, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Chhagalnaiya Police Station, said police suspect the attack was carried out to hijack the vehicle, which Abdul bought on installments a month ago. Drives are underway to arrest the perpetrators.

Locals intercepted two muggers, gave them a mass beating, and handed them over to police after they attempted to rob a guava trader at gunpoint on the Kushtia-Pabna highway in Mirpur upazila of Kushtia on Saturday morning. The incident occurred around 6:00am near Noy Mile Kasari Para area under Bahulbaria union on the highway. Police seized a cleaver (chapati) and a toy pistol from their possession. The arrestees were identified as Suman from Chandgram and Mahabul from Baromile in Bheramara upazila. According to locals, a group of muggers blocked a vehicle carrying a guava trader on the highway and demanded money at gunpoint. Spotting the incident, locals rushed to the scene, resisted the robbers, caught two members of the gang, and administered a mass beating. They later handed the duo over to Mirpur Police Station. Md. Shahidul Islam, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Mirpur Police Station, said the process of filing a case against the two arrestees is underway.

Thousands of people from different parts of Thakurgaon have gathered at Burir Bandh on the Shuk River to take part in a traditional fishing festival marking the beginning of winter. The fishing ground, located between Akcha and Chilarang unions in Thakurgaon Sadar upazila, is opened to the public at the start of winter every year, turning the area into a lively gathering of fishing enthusiasts. The five sluice gates of Burir Bandh were opened on Friday night. As the water level receded, fishermen and people from nearby villages and different parts of the district began catching fish early Saturday. A visit to the site found people of all ages, including women, children and elderly people, wading through the muddy water with fishing nets, traditional bamboo traps known as polo, spears and other equipment. Some who had no fishing gear were also catching fish with their bare hands. Participants brought various types of fishing equipment, including fika, lafijal, current nets, ring nets and chatka nets.

A Jubo Dal leader was shot and wounded by unidentified criminals on Sener Bazar-Madhupur road at Parhajigram village in Terokhada upazila of Khulna on Saturday noon. The victim is Md Ramim Biswas, 32, son of Habibur Rahman of Parhajigram village under Madhupur Union of the upazila and president of Ward No. 3 Jubo Dal unit under No. 6 Madhupur Union. Khulna Additional Superintendent of Police Abir Siddique Shuvro said Ramim was sitting in a van in front of Aynal Molla’s house in the village when unidentified assailants riding a motorcycle opened fire, leaving him injured. Local people rescued him and took him to Khulna Medical College Hospital. Police from Terokhada Police Station visited the scene. Additional SP Shuvro said police were working to identify and arrest those involved.

A local Jubo Dal activist was hacked dead by unidentified criminals  in Satla area of Wazirpur upazila in Barishal on Friday night. The deceased was identified as Kawsar Hawlader, 37, son of Monasef Hawlader of Alamdi village in Satla. A group of armed criminals attacked Kawsar when he along with Rashed Amin and several other Jubo Dal activists were standing on a bridge around 9:30pm, said Rakibul Islam, Officer-in-Charge of Wazirpur Model Police Station. Kawsar and Rashed Amin jumped into the water beneath the bridge and took shelter at the nearby house of Habib Hawlader. The attackers then entered the house by breaking open the door and hacked Kawsar indiscriminately. Later, he was taken to Kotalipara Upazila Health Complex where doctors declared him dead. Rashed Amin was also seriously injured in the attack. Tensions have gripped the area following the incident.

The indefinite road blockade at Sajek in Rangamati continued for the 3rd day on Saturday with joint forces maintaining patrols to keep the law-and-order situation under control. The blockade was enforced jointly by Sajek Ganadhikar Rakkha Committee and the Sajek Karbari Association to press for their three demands, including the immediate removal of armed members of Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (Santu group) from the area and ensuring the security of local residents. However, there was no report of any untoward incident. Army, police, and other law enforcement agencies have been working jointly to ensure the safety of people staying in Sajek and maintain peace in the area. Meanwhile, a half-day road and waterway blockade was observed in Khagrachhari in protest against the gunfight at Ujjobazar in Sajek on Saturday. Chhatra-Janata Sangram Parishad has announced a half-day road and waterway blockade in Rangamati and Khagrachhari districts from 5am in support of the ongoing movement in Sajek. Early in the morning, protesters set tyres on fire and blocked a road in South Khobongpuria area of the district town. Later, members of the law enforcement agencies removed the burning tyres and cleared the road for traffic. Earlier on Thursday, nearly 3,000 tourists stranded in Sajek Valley were evacuated with the help of the Army and police amid the indefinite road blockade. Armed UPDF members allegedly opened fire on tourists and members of law enforcement agencies during the evacuation.